Malnutrition: Prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female in Jamaica
Jamaica: Malnutrition: Prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female was 7.0% in 2018. ▼ Falling
Malnutrition: Prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female in Jamaica, 1989–2018
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
In 2018, malnutrition: prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female in Jamaica stood at 7.0%.
The figure is down 26.3% on the previous year and down 25.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, malnutrition: prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female in Jamaica peaked at 17.0% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 5.6%, in 2007.
That places Jamaica 76th out of 83 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 22 years of available data.
Malnutrition: Prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female in Jamaica, year by year
| Year | % of children under 5 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 16.1% | — |
| 1991 | 17.0% | +5.6% |
| 1992 | 16.0% | -5.9% |
| 1993 | 14.1% | -11.9% |
| 1994 | 13.9% | -1.4% |
| 1995 | 11.7% | -15.8% |
| 1996 | 13.8% | +17.9% |
| 1997 | 10.9% | -21.0% |
| 1998 | 13.3% | +22.0% |
| 1999 | 7.3% | -45.1% |
| 2000 | 10.2% | +39.7% |
| 2001 | 10.0% | -2.0% |
| 2002 | 9.3% | -7.0% |
| 2004 | 6.1% | -34.4% |
| 2006 | 6.3% | +3.3% |
| 2007 | 5.6% | -11.1% |
| 2008 | 9.4% | +67.9% |
| 2010 | 6.9% | -26.6% |
| 2012 | 7.1% | +2.9% |
| 2014 | 7.0% | -1.4% |
| 2016 | 9.5% | +35.7% |
| 2018 | 7.0% | -26.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 16.1% | 16.1% | 16.1% | 1 |
| 1990s | 13.1% | 7.3% | 17.0% | 9 |
| 2000s | 8.1% | 5.6% | 10.2% | 7 |
| 2010s | 7.5% | 6.9% | 9.5% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Jamaica
- 73 Jordan 7.6% compare
- 74 Dominican Republic 7.5% compare
- 75 Uruguay 7.3% compare
- 77 Azerbaijan 6.9% compare
- 78 Türkiye 6.1% compare
- 79 Uzbekistan 6.0% compare
More gender data for Jamaica
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 468.29 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -1.89 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 15,460 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 16,015 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 15,603 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 16,169 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 15,800 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, male, interpolated 16,375 (2025)
- Age population, age 03, female, interpolated 15,981 (2025)
- Age population, age 03, male, interpolated 16,562 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is malnutrition: prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female in Jamaica?
- Malnutrition: prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female in Jamaica was 7.0% 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 Jamaica?
- The highest recorded value was 17.0% in 1991.
- What is the lowest malnutrition: prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female recorded in Jamaica?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.6% in 2007.
- How does Jamaica rank for malnutrition: prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female?
- Jamaica ranks 76th out of 83 countries with data for 2018.
- Is malnutrition: prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female rising or falling in Jamaica?
- Over the last ten years it is down 25.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Jamaica 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.