Stunting in children — all countries

Stunting in children — China

Stunting in children in China in 2017 — 4.8%. Ranked 4 in the world out of 30. Since 1987, the indicator has fallen by 33.5 pp.

2017 4.8% −3.3 pp vs 2013
World rank 4of 30
Period maximum 38.3%1987
Period minimum 4.8%2017

Trend over time

1987–2017 · % of children under 5

Stunting in children — China, 1987–2017010203040198719901993199619992002200520082011201420171987: 38.3%1990: 32.3%1992: 38%1995: 31.2%1998: 19.8%2000: 17.8%2002: 21.8%2005: 11.7%2008: 9.8%2009: 9%2010: 9.4%2013: 8.1%2017: 4.8%
Change over the period: −33.5 pp Annual average: -1.12 pp
Stunting in children — China, by year China All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2017 4.8
2013 8.1
2010 9.4 +0.4 pp
2009 9 −0.8 pp
2008 9.8
2005 11.7
2002 21.8
2000 17.8
1998 19.8
1995 31.2
1992 38
1990 32.3
1987 38.3

Eastern Asia, 2017

The same indicator for neighboring countries — with links to their pages

About the indicator

The share of children under five whose height falls short of the WHO norm for their age by more than two standard deviations. Stunting is the trace of a prolonged shortage of nutrition in the first years of life, and it is irreversible: height cannot be made up later. That is why the indicator is considered the main measure of chronic undernutrition, unlike wasting, which speaks of an acute shortage of food right now.

Important: The data come from sample household surveys and are not annual: for the intervening years there are no values. The aggregate by country group is weighted by the number of children aged 0–14 — it cannot be weighted by population, the share of small children is too different.

Source: Global Health Observatory (WHO), license CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO.