Stunting

SDG target: End all forms of malnutrition, including achieving, by 2025, the internationally agreed-upon targets on stunting and wasting in children under five. Target shown on chart is provisional and has been extrapolated based on existing 2025 target.

See data sources and methodology used in our 2020 report

Goalkeepers measures progress on nutrition by tracking stunting (low height for age), a manifestation of chronic malnutrition. As the word “chronic” makes clear, stunting does not happen overnight—it compounds over weeks and months. When it comes to COVID, therefore, stunting is a lagging indicator whose impact we may not see for a year or more. The longer families suffer from food insecurity and spotty access to basic health services, the worse COVID’s impact on stunting could eventually be.

If we were to look at other nutrition indicators, we’d see that the pandemic is already doing great harm. Wasting (low weight for height) is a manifestation of acute malnutrition—and its prevalence is spiking right now. A recent Lancet study found that wasting could account for up to one-quarter of all COVID-related childhood deaths.

Legend:
Global average
2030 target
Global progress and projections for Stunting
Prevalence of stunting among children under age 5
1990 2000 2010 2020 2030 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 2019 27% 15% 2030 TARGET20% BETTER SCENARIO23% REFERENCE SCENARIO26% WORSE SCENARIO
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HISTORICAL PROGRESS FOR STUNTING
SDG target: End all forms of malnutrition, including achieving, by 2025, the internationally agreed-upon targets on stunting and wasting in children under five. Target shown on chart is provisional and has been extrapolated based on existing 2025 target.
Prevalence of stunting among children under age 5
Global average
2030 target
1990200020102019 0%10%20%30%40% 15%27% 2030 targetGlobal
Source: Gates Foundation, 2020 Goalkeepers Report. Data from IHME. http://gates.ly/GK20Stunting
For more information on data sources, methods, and limitations for this year's report: http://gates.ly/GK20Sources
GLOBAL PROGRESS AND PROJECTIONS FOR STUNTING
SDG target: End all forms of malnutrition, including achieving, by 2025, the internationally agreed-upon targets on stunting and wasting in children under five. Target shown on chart is provisional and has been extrapolated based on existing 2025 target.
Prevalence of stunting among children under age 5
2030 target
Global average
Better scenario
Reference scenario
Worse scenario
19902000201020202030 0%10%20%30%40%50% 27% 15%20%23%26%
Source: Gates Foundation, 2020 Goalkeepers Report. Data from IHME. http://gates.ly/GK20Stunting
For more information on data sources, methods, and limitations for this year's report: http://gates.ly/GK20Sources
INTERACT WITH THE DATA
Below you can view comparisons of the historical progress for this indicator across any region or country in the world. Roll over the chart to see data from any year, and add up to three other locations to see how they compare to the global progress. Download any chart you create.
Choose locations to compare:
Global
Legend:
Global average
2030 target
Historical progress for Stunting
Prevalence of stunting among children under age 5
19902000201020190%5%10%15%20%25%30%35%40%15%2030 TARGET2030 TARGET27%GLOBALGLOBAL
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Use the table below to see historical progress for all countries and regions. Add one to the chart above to make direct comparisons using the to the right.

The ABSOLUTE view allows you to see the actual values over time. The RELATIVE view shows average change year over year for a five-year average.
Choose a chart view:
Absolute
Relative
TARGET 15%
Central Europe, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia
14%
1990
2019
High-income
3%
1990
2019
Latin America and Caribbean
15%
1990
2019
North Africa and Middle East
23%
1990
2019
South Asia
40%
1990
2019
South-East Asia, East Asia, and Oceania
19%
1990
2019
Sub-Saharan Africa
35%
1990
2019

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