Childhood stunting rates in Jamaica

Jamaica: Childhood stunting rates was 5.7% in 2015. ▼ Falling

Latest (2015)
5.7%
World rank
20th
of 34 countries
All-time high
15.9%
in 1955
All-time low
5.0%
in 2005
Years of data
5
1955–2015

Childhood stunting rates in Jamaica, 1955–2015

57.51012.5151955198520151955: 15.9 %1985: 10.6 %1995: 7.2 %2005: 5 %2015: 5.7 %

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

Analysis

In 2015, childhood stunting rates in Jamaica stood at 5.7%.

The figure is up 13.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, childhood stunting rates in Jamaica peaked at 15.9% in 1955 and was at its lowest, 5.0%, in 2005.

That places Jamaica 20th out of 34 countries with data for 2015, putting it in the middle of the range.

Childhood stunting rates in Jamaica, year by year

Annual values for Childhood stunting rates in Jamaica, 1955 to 2015.
Year % Change
1955 15.9% —
1985 10.6% -33.5%
1995 7.2% -32.1%
2005 5.0% -30.0%
2015 5.7% +13.0%

Jamaica compared with similar countries

  • Jamaica's 5.7% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 10.9%, 52% of the median. (10 countries reporting)
  • Jamaica's 5.7% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 10.7%, 53% of the median. (6 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1950s 15.9% 15.9% 15.9% 1
1980s 10.6% 10.6% 10.6% 1
1990s 7.2% 7.2% 7.2% 1
2000s 5.0% 5.0% 5.0% 1
2010s 5.7% 5.7% 5.7% 1

Countries ranked near Jamaica

  1. 17 Uruguay 8.1% compare
  2. 18 Jordan 7.7% compare
  3. 19 Brazil 6.0% compare
  4. 21 Taiwan 4.1% compare
  5. 22 China 4.1% compare
  6. 23 Kuwait 3.8% compare

See the full ranking of 34 places →

More reference data data for Jamaica

All data for Jamaica →

Frequently asked questions

What is childhood stunting rates in Jamaica?
Childhood stunting rates in Jamaica was 5.7% 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 Jamaica?
The highest recorded value was 15.9% in 1955.
What is the lowest childhood stunting rates recorded in Jamaica?
The lowest recorded value was 5.0% in 2005.
How does Jamaica rank for childhood stunting rates?
Jamaica ranks 20th out of 34 countries with data for 2015.
Is childhood stunting rates rising or falling in Jamaica?
Over the last ten years it is up 13.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Jamaica 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.

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Childhood stunting rates in Jamaica. Statizoid, drawing on Schneider et al. (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 24 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/long-run-childhood-stunting-rates/jamaica/

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<a href="https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/long-run-childhood-stunting-rates/jamaica/">Childhood stunting rates in Jamaica</a> — Statizoid

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.