Malnutrition: Prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female in Guatemala
Guatemala: Malnutrition: Prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female was 47.1% in 2021. ▼ Falling
Malnutrition: Prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female in Guatemala, 1987–2021
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
In 2021, malnutrition: prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female in Guatemala stood at 47.1%. That is the lowest value across all 8 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 8.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, malnutrition: prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female in Guatemala peaked at 64.3% in 1987 and was at its lowest, 47.1%, in 2021.
That places Guatemala 6th out of 83 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the top 10%.
Malnutrition: Prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female in Guatemala, year by year
| Year | % of children under 5 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 64.3% | — |
| 1995 | 56.8% | -11.7% |
| 1999 | 54.6% | -3.9% |
| 2000 | 51.1% | -6.4% |
| 2002 | 55.3% | +8.2% |
| 2009 | 51.5% | -6.9% |
| 2015 | 47.3% | -8.2% |
| 2021 | 47.1% | -0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 64.3% | 64.3% | 64.3% | 1 |
| 1990s | 55.7% | 54.6% | 56.8% | 2 |
| 2000s | 52.6% | 51.1% | 55.3% | 3 |
| 2010s | 47.3% | 47.3% | 47.3% | 1 |
| 2020s | 47.1% | 47.1% | 47.1% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Guatemala
- 3 Yemen 48.9% compare
- 4 Timor-Leste 48.6% compare
- 5 Democratic Republic of Congo 47.2% compare
- 7 Madagascar 43.6% compare
- 8 Mozambique 40.9% compare
- 9 Central African Republic 40.8% compare
More gender data for Guatemala
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 5,681 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -0.5138 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 183,639 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 190,265 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 182,353 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 188,776 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 181,168 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, male, interpolated 187,405 (2025)
- Age population, age 03, female, interpolated 180,709 (2025)
- Age population, age 03, male, interpolated 186,820 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is malnutrition: prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female in Guatemala?
- Malnutrition: prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female in Guatemala was 47.1% in 2021, 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 Guatemala?
- The highest recorded value was 64.3% in 1987.
- What is the lowest malnutrition: prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female recorded in Guatemala?
- The lowest recorded value was 47.1% in 2021.
- How does Guatemala rank for malnutrition: prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female?
- Guatemala ranks 6th out of 83 countries with data for 2021.
- Is malnutrition: prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female rising or falling in Guatemala?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Guatemala 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.