Prevalence of stunting, height for age in United States
United States: Prevalence of stunting, height for age was 3.8% in 2022. ▲ Rising
Prevalence of stunting, height for age in United States, 1991–2022
Source: UNICEF, WHO, World Bank: Joint child Malnutrition Estimates (JME). Aggregation is based on UNICEF, WHO, and the World Bank harmonized dataset (adjusted, comparable data) and methodology., UN Children'. Measured in % of children under 5.
Analysis
The most recent figure for prevalence of stunting, height for age in United States is 3.8%, measured in 2022. That is the highest value across all 12 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 72.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of stunting, height for age in United States peaked at 3.8% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 2.2%, in 2012.
That places United States 91st out of 97 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 12 years of available data.
Prevalence of stunting, height for age in United States, year by year
| Year | % of children under 5 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 3.1% | — |
| 2000 | 3.2% | +3.2% |
| 2002 | 3.1% | -3.1% |
| 2004 | 2.9% | -6.5% |
| 2006 | 3.1% | +6.9% |
| 2008 | 2.3% | -25.8% |
| 2010 | 2.8% | +21.7% |
| 2012 | 2.2% | -21.4% |
| 2014 | 2.4% | +9.1% |
| 2016 | 3.5% | +45.8% |
| 2018 | 3.4% | -2.9% |
| 2022 | 3.8% | +11.8% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 3.8% is above the median for high income countries, which is 3.8%, 1.0× the median. (11 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 3.1% | 3.1% | 3.1% | 1 |
| 2000s | 2.9% | 2.3% | 3.2% | 5 |
| 2010s | 2.9% | 2.2% | 3.5% | 5 |
| 2020s | 3.8% | 3.8% | 3.8% | 1 |
Countries ranked near United States
More health data for United States
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.67 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.1867 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,069 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 4,015 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2023)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 0.056 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0261 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.1919 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of stunting, height for age in United States?
- Prevalence of stunting, height for age in United States was 3.8% in 2022, according to UNICEF, WHO, World Bank: Joint child Malnutrition Estimates (JME). Aggregation is based on UNICEF, WHO, and the World Bank harmonized dataset (adjusted, comparable data) and methodology., UN Children'.
- What is the highest prevalence of stunting, height for age recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 3.8% in 2022.
- What is the lowest prevalence of stunting, height for age recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.2% in 2012.
- How does United States rank for prevalence of stunting, height for age?
- United States ranks 91st out of 97 countries with data for 2022.
- Is prevalence of stunting, height for age rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is up 72.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from UNICEF, WHO, World Bank: Joint child Malnutrition Estimates (JME). Aggregation is based on UNICEF, WHO, and the World Bank harmonized dataset (adjusted, comparable data) and methodology., UN Children', published as part of Prevalence of stunting, height for age (% of children under 5). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Prevalence of stunting is the percentage of children under age 5 whose height for age is more than two standard deviations below the median for the international reference population ages 0-59 months. For children up to two years old height is measured by recumbent length. For older children height is measured by stature while standing. The data are based on the WHO's 2006 Child Growth Standards.