Malnutrition: Prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female in Zambia
Zambia: Malnutrition: Prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female was 38.3% in 2018. ▼ Falling
Malnutrition: Prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female in Zambia, 1992–2018
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
Zambia recorded 38.3% for malnutrition: prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female in 2018. That is the lowest value across all 7 years on record.
The figure is down 21.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, malnutrition: prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female in Zambia peaked at 59.6% in 1999 and was at its lowest, 38.3%, in 2018.
Zambia ranks 12th of 83 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
Malnutrition: Prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female in Zambia, year by year
| Year | % of children under 5 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | 49.6% | — |
| 1996 | 50.1% | +1.0% |
| 1999 | 59.6% | +19.0% |
| 2002 | 54.3% | -8.9% |
| 2007 | 48.8% | -10.1% |
| 2013 | 42.4% | -13.1% |
| 2018 | 38.3% | -9.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 53.1% | 49.6% | 59.6% | 3 |
| 2000s | 51.5% | 48.8% | 54.3% | 2 |
| 2010s | 40.3% | 38.3% | 42.4% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More gender data for Zambia
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 9,719 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 1.61 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 340,219 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 341,639 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 331,557 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 332,331 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 324,712 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, male, interpolated 325,021 (2025)
- Age population, age 03, female, interpolated 318,536 (2025)
- Age population, age 03, male, interpolated 318,579 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is malnutrition: prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female in Zambia?
- Malnutrition: prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female in Zambia was 38.3% 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 Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 59.6% in 1999.
- What is the lowest malnutrition: prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 38.3% in 2018.
- How does Zambia rank for malnutrition: prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female?
- Zambia ranks 12th out of 83 countries with data for 2018.
- Is malnutrition: prevalence of childhood stunting, male vs. female rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 21.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Zambia 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 7 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
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.