Stunting in children — all countries

Stunting in children — Mexico

Stunting in children in Mexico in 2022 — 12.5%. Ranked 12 in the world out of 32. Since 1988, the indicator has fallen by 14.4 pp.

2022 12.5% −0.3 pp vs 2021
World rank 12of 32
Period maximum 26.9%1988
Period minimum 10%2016

Trend over time

1988–2022 · % of children under 5

Stunting in children — Mexico, 1988–2022101520253019881992199620002004200820122016202020221988: 26.9%1989: 26%1996: 25.8%1998: 21.4%2002: 18.9%2005: 19.4%2006: 15.5%2012: 13.6%2015: 12.4%2016: 10%2019: 14.1%2020: 13.9%2021: 12.8%2022: 12.5%
Change over the period: −14.4 pp Annual average: -0.42 pp
Stunting in children — Mexico, by year Mexico All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2022 12.5 −0.3 pp
2021 12.8 −1.1 pp
2020 13.9 −0.2 pp
2019 14.1
2016 10 −2.4 pp
2015 12.4
2012 13.6
2006 15.5 −3.9 pp
2005 19.4
2002 18.9
1998 21.4
1996 25.8
1989 26 −0.9 pp
1988 26.9

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.