Malnutrition: Number of children who are stunted in China
China: Malnutrition: Number of children who are stunted was 2.35 million in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Malnutrition: Number of children who are stunted in China, 2000–2024
Source: World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2024, malnutrition: number of children who are stunted in China stood at 2.35 million. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 12.2% on the previous year and down 60.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, malnutrition: number of children who are stunted in China peaked at 17.00 million in 2000 and was at its lowest, 2.35 million, in 2024.
China ranks 14th of 162 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Malnutrition: Number of children who are stunted in China, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 17.00 million | — |
| 2001 | 15.60 million | -8.2% |
| 2002 | 14.26 million | -8.6% |
| 2003 | 12.97 million | -9.1% |
| 2004 | 11.83 million | -8.8% |
| 2005 | 10.79 million | -8.7% |
| 2006 | 9.90 million | -8.3% |
| 2007 | 9.17 million | -7.4% |
| 2008 | 8.58 million | -6.4% |
| 2009 | 8.06 million | -6.1% |
| 2010 | 7.50 million | -7.0% |
| 2011 | 6.97 million | -7.1% |
| 2012 | 6.60 million | -5.3% |
| 2013 | 6.28 million | -4.8% |
| 2014 | 5.99 million | -4.6% |
| 2015 | 5.76 million | -3.9% |
| 2016 | 5.54 million | -3.8% |
| 2017 | 5.25 million | -5.1% |
| 2018 | 4.88 million | -7.1% |
| 2019 | 4.45 million | -8.9% |
| 2020 | 4.00 million | -10.0% |
| 2021 | 3.54 million | -11.5% |
| 2022 | 3.07 million | -13.2% |
| 2023 | 2.68 million | -12.9% |
| 2024 | 2.35 million | -12.2% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 2.35 million is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 46,050, 51.0× the median. (54 countries reporting)
- China's 2.35 million is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 47,600, 49.4× the median. (27 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 11.82 million | 8.06 million | 17.00 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.92 million | 4.45 million | 7.50 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.13 million | 2.35 million | 4.00 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near China
- 11 Afghanistan 2.85 million compare
- 12 Sudan 2.70 million compare
- 13 Philippines 2.54 million compare
- 15 Niger 2.31 million compare
- 16 Mozambique 2.14 million compare
- 17 Uganda 1.90 million compare
More reference data data for China
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 49.4 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 75.5 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 303.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 18.8 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 303.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 165.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 206.2 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 350.74 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1,480 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 102.37 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is malnutrition: number of children who are stunted in China?
- Malnutrition: number of children who are stunted in China was 2.35 million in 2024, according to World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest malnutrition: number of children who are stunted recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 17.00 million in 2000.
- What is the lowest malnutrition: number of children who are stunted recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.35 million in 2024.
- How does China rank for malnutrition: number of children who are stunted?
- China ranks 14th out of 162 countries with data for 2024.
- Is malnutrition: number of children who are stunted rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 60.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Malnutrition: Number of children who are stunted. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
The number of children younger than five who are stunted – significantly shorter than the average for their age, as a consequence of poor nutrition or repeated infection.