Malnutrition: Prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female in Cameroon
Cameroon: Malnutrition: Prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female was 31.2% in 2018. ▼ Falling
Malnutrition: Prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female in Cameroon, 1991–2018
Source: Joint child Malnutrition Estimates (JME) - UNICEF, WHO, and World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of children under 5.
Analysis
Cameroon recorded 31.2% for malnutrition: prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female in 2018. That is the lowest value across all 7 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 23.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, malnutrition: prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female in Cameroon peaked at 40.7% in 2006 and was at its lowest, 31.2%, in 2018.
That places Cameroon 24th out of 83 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the middle of the range.
Malnutrition: Prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female in Cameroon, year by year
| Year | % of children under 5 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 34.0% | — |
| 1998 | 40.3% | +18.5% |
| 2004 | 36.9% | -8.4% |
| 2006 | 40.7% | +10.3% |
| 2011 | 35.1% | -13.8% |
| 2014 | 33.5% | -4.6% |
| 2018 | 31.2% | -6.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 37.1% | 34.0% | 40.3% | 2 |
| 2000s | 38.8% | 36.9% | 40.7% | 2 |
| 2010s | 33.3% | 31.2% | 35.1% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Cameroon
- 21 Tanzania 33.3% compare
- 22 Liberia 31.8% compare
- 23 Guinea-Bissau 31.4% compare
- 25 Guinea 29.1% compare
- 25 Sierra Leone 29.1% compare
- 27 Mauritania 27.6% compare
More gender data for Cameroon
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 13,337 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 1.53 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 465,137 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 475,018 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 453,098 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 461,925 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 443,236 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, male, interpolated 452,058 (2025)
- Age population, age 03, female, interpolated 436,011 (2025)
- Age population, age 03, male, interpolated 444,018 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is malnutrition: prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female in Cameroon?
- Malnutrition: prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female in Cameroon was 31.2% in 2018, according to Joint child Malnutrition Estimates (JME) - UNICEF, WHO, and World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest malnutrition: prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female recorded in Cameroon?
- The highest recorded value was 40.7% in 2006.
- What is the lowest malnutrition: prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female recorded in Cameroon?
- The lowest recorded value was 31.2% in 2018.
- How does Cameroon rank for malnutrition: prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female?
- Cameroon ranks 24th out of 83 countries with data for 2018.
- Is malnutrition: prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female rising or falling in Cameroon?
- Over the last ten years it is down 23.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Cameroon data come from?
- The figures come from Joint child Malnutrition Estimates (JME) - UNICEF, WHO, and World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Malnutrition: Prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of children younger than 5 years, male versus female, that fall below two standard deviations from the median height-for-age of the WHO Child Growth Standards.