Proportion of children moderately or severely stunted in Central America

Central America: Proportion of children moderately or severely stunted was 17.2% in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
17.2%
Change on year
up 0.6%
Rank
15th
of 30 groups
All-time high
25.3%
in 2000
All-time low
17.0%
in 2020
Years of data
25
2000–2024

Proportion of children moderately or severely stunted in Central America, 2000–2024

01020302000201220242000: 25.32001: 24.82002: 24.22003: 23.62004: 22.92005: 22.42006: 21.82007: 21.22008: 20.62009: 19.92010: 19.22011: 18.62012: 18.12013: 17.82014: 17.62015: 17.52016: 17.52017: 17.32018: 17.32019: 17.22020: 172021: 172022: 17.12023: 17.12024: 17.2

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.

Analysis

In 2024, proportion of children moderately or severely stunted in Central America stood at 17.2%.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.6% on the previous year and down 2.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, proportion of children moderately or severely stunted in Central America peaked at 25.3% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 17.0%, in 2020.

That places Central America 15th out of 30 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.

Proportion of children moderately or severely stunted in Central America, year by year

Annual values for Proportion of children moderately or severely stunted (%) in Central America, 2000 to 2024.
Year Value Change
2000 25.3%
2001 24.8% -2.0%
2002 24.2% -2.4%
2003 23.6% -2.5%
2004 22.9% -3.0%
2005 22.4% -2.2%
2006 21.8% -2.7%
2007 21.2% -2.8%
2008 20.6% -2.8%
2009 19.9% -3.4%
2010 19.2% -3.5%
2011 18.6% -3.1%
2012 18.1% -2.7%
2013 17.8% -1.7%
2014 17.6% -1.1%
2015 17.5% -0.6%
2016 17.5% +0.0%
2017 17.3% -1.1%
2018 17.3% +0.0%
2019 17.2% -0.6%
2020 17.0% -1.2%
2021 17.0% +0.0%
2022 17.1% +0.6%
2023 17.1% +0.0%
2024 17.2% +0.6%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 22.7% 19.9% 25.3% 10
2010s 17.8% 17.2% 19.2% 10
2020s 17.1% 17.0% 17.2% 5

Countries ranked near Central America

  1. 12 Ethiopia 35.5% compare
  2. 13 Sudan 35.4% compare
  3. 14 Lesotho 35.0% compare
  4. 15 Nigeria 33.8% compare
  5. 16 Pakistan 33.6% compare
  6. 17 Benin 33.2% compare
  7. 17 Malawi 33.2% compare

See the full ranking of 198 places →

More infrastructure data for Central America

All data for Central America →

Frequently asked questions

What is proportion of children moderately or severely stunted in Central America?
Proportion of children moderately or severely stunted in Central America was 17.2% in 2024, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
What is the highest proportion of children moderately or severely stunted recorded in Central America?
The highest recorded value was 25.3% in 2000.
What is the lowest proportion of children moderately or severely stunted recorded in Central America?
The lowest recorded value was 17.0% in 2020.
How does Central America rank for proportion of children moderately or severely stunted?
Central America ranks 15th out of 30 groups with data for 2024.
Is proportion of children moderately or severely stunted rising or falling in Central America?
Over the last ten years it is down 2.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Central America data come from?
The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Proportion of children moderately or severely stunted (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Proportion of children moderately or severely stunted in Central America. Statizoid, drawing on United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Retrieved 28 August 2026, from https://infrastructure.statizoid.com/stat/proportion-of-children-moderately-or-severely-stunted-percent/central-america/

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About this data

Indicator
Proportion of children moderately or severely stunted (%)
Source
United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database
Licence
UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested)
Coverage
198 places, 4,950 data points, 2000–2024
Last refreshed