Stunting in children — all countries

Stunting in children — Jamaica

Stunting in children in Jamaica in 2018 — 4.6%. Ranked 5 in the world out of 48. Since 1989, the indicator has fallen by 7.4 pp.

2018 4.6% −4.7 pp vs 2016
World rank 5of 48
Period maximum 14.4%1992
Period minimum 4.6%2018

Trend over time

1989–2018 · % of children under 5

Stunting in children — Jamaica, 1989–2018051015198919921995199820012004200720102013201620181989: 12%1991: 11.8%1992: 14.4%1993: 12.6%1994: 12.1%1995: 9.7%1996: 11.2%1997: 8.7%1998: 9.5%1999: 5.7%2000: 7.2%2001: 6.6%2002: 8.2%2004: 4.9%2006: 7.5%2007: 5.4%2008: 6.9%2010: 6%2012: 6.8%2014: 6%2016: 9.3%2018: 4.6%
Change over the period: −7.4 pp Annual average: -0.26 pp
Stunting in children — Jamaica, by year Jamaica All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2018 4.6
2016 9.3
2014 6
2012 6.8
2010 6
2008 6.9 +1.5 pp
2007 5.4 −2.1 pp
2006 7.5
2004 4.9
2002 8.2 +1.6 pp
2001 6.6 −0.6 pp
2000 7.2 +1.5 pp
1999 5.7 −3.8 pp
1998 9.5 +0.8 pp
1997 8.7 −2.5 pp
1996 11.2 +1.5 pp
1995 9.7 −2.4 pp
1994 12.1 −0.5 pp
1993 12.6 −1.8 pp
1992 14.4 +2.6 pp
1991 11.8
1989 12

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.