Malnutrition: Prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female in United States of America
United States of America: Malnutrition: Prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female was 2.8% in 2018. ▼ Falling
Malnutrition: Prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female in United States of America, 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
The most recent figure for malnutrition: prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female in United States of America is 2.8%, measured in 2018.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 39.1% on the previous year and down 9.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, malnutrition: prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female in United States of America peaked at 4.6% in 2006 and was at its lowest, 2.6%, in 2014.
That places United States of America 81st out of 83 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 11 years of available data.
Malnutrition: Prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female in United States of America, year by year
| Year | % of children under 5 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 3.1% | — |
| 2000 | 3.7% | +19.4% |
| 2002 | 4.2% | +13.5% |
| 2004 | 2.9% | -31.0% |
| 2006 | 4.6% | +58.6% |
| 2008 | 3.1% | -32.6% |
| 2010 | 2.8% | -9.7% |
| 2012 | 3.1% | +10.7% |
| 2014 | 2.6% | -16.1% |
| 2016 | 4.6% | +76.9% |
| 2018 | 2.8% | -39.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 3.1% | 3.1% | 3.1% | 1 |
| 2000s | 3.7% | 2.9% | 4.6% | 5 |
| 2010s | 3.2% | 2.6% | 4.6% | 5 |
Countries ranked near United States of America
- 78 Türkiye 6.1% compare
- 79 Uzbekistan 6.0% compare
- 80 Kuwait 3.8% compare
- 82 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 1.8% compare
- 83 Republic of Korea 0.8% compare
More gender data for United States of America
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 57,835 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -0.4626 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 297,814 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 297,814 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 0.6312 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 1.79 million (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 1.88 million (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 1.80 million (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 1.89 million (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 1.83 million (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is malnutrition: prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female in United States of America?
- Malnutrition: prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female in United States of America was 2.8% 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 United States of America?
- The highest recorded value was 4.6% in 2006.
- What is the lowest malnutrition: prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female recorded in United States of America?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.6% in 2014.
- How does United States of America rank for malnutrition: prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female?
- United States of America ranks 81st out of 83 countries with data for 2018.
- Is malnutrition: prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female rising or falling in United States of America?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United States of America 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.