Childhood stunting rates in Ghana

Ghana: Childhood stunting rates was 21.6% in 2015. ▲ Rising

Latest (2015)
21.6%
World rank
11th
of 34 countries
All-time high
50.6%
in 1985
All-time low
12.3%
in 1955
Years of data
5
1955–2015

Childhood stunting rates in Ghana, 1955–2015

10203040501955198520151955: 12.3 %1985: 50.6 %1995: 41.4 %2005: 30.5 %2015: 21.6 %

Source: Schneider et al. (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for childhood stunting rates in Ghana is 21.6%, measured in 2015.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 29.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, childhood stunting rates in Ghana peaked at 50.6% in 1985 and was at its lowest, 12.3%, in 1955.

That places Ghana 11th out of 34 countries with data for 2015, putting it in the middle of the range.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1950s 12.3% 12.3% 12.3% 1
1980s 50.6% 50.6% 50.6% 1
1990s 41.4% 41.4% 41.4% 1
2000s 30.5% 30.5% 30.5% 1
2010s 21.6% 21.6% 21.6% 1

Countries ranked near Ghana

  1. 8 Haiti 24.6% compare
  2. 9 Kenya 24.5% compare
  3. 10 Egypt 22.5% compare
  4. 12 South Africa 20.7% compare
  5. 13 Sri Lanka 17.3% compare
  6. 14 Venezuela 15.9% compare

See the full ranking of 34 places →

More reference data data for Ghana

All data for Ghana →

Frequently asked questions

What is childhood stunting rates in Ghana?
Childhood stunting rates in Ghana was 21.6% in 2015, according to Schneider et al. (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest childhood stunting rates recorded in Ghana?
The highest recorded value was 50.6% in 1985.
What is the lowest childhood stunting rates recorded in Ghana?
The lowest recorded value was 12.3% in 1955.
How does Ghana rank for childhood stunting rates?
Ghana ranks 11th out of 34 countries with data for 2015.
Is childhood stunting rates rising or falling in Ghana?
Over the last ten years it is down 29.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Ghana data come from?
The figures come from Schneider et al. (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Childhood stunting rates. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

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About this data

Indicator
Childhood stunting rates
Unit
%
Source
Schneider et al. (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
34 places, 204 data points, 1895–2015
Last refreshed

Share of children between 2 and 10 years old who are stunted, so shorter than would be expected for their age. Stunting is a sign of long-term malnutrition or poor health in early childhood.