Malnutrition: Number of children who are stunted in India
India: Malnutrition: Number of children who are stunted was 37.40 million in 2024. ▼ Falling
Malnutrition: Number of children who are stunted in India, 2000–2024
Source: World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for malnutrition: number of children who are stunted in India is 37.40 million, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of down 0.7% on the previous year and down 25.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, malnutrition: number of children who are stunted in India peaked at 65.98 million in 2000 and was at its lowest, 37.40 million, in 2024.
India ranks 1st of 162 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
Malnutrition: Number of children who are stunted in India, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 65.98 million | — |
| 2001 | 65.81 million | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 65.73 million | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 65.43 million | -0.5% |
| 2004 | 64.94 million | -0.8% |
| 2005 | 64.18 million | -1.2% |
| 2006 | 63.02 million | -1.8% |
| 2007 | 61.50 million | -2.4% |
| 2008 | 59.89 million | -2.6% |
| 2009 | 58.28 million | -2.7% |
| 2010 | 56.60 million | -2.9% |
| 2011 | 54.92 million | -3.0% |
| 2012 | 53.32 million | -2.9% |
| 2013 | 51.73 million | -3.0% |
| 2014 | 49.96 million | -3.4% |
| 2015 | 48.11 million | -3.7% |
| 2016 | 46.40 million | -3.5% |
| 2017 | 44.64 million | -3.8% |
| 2018 | 42.89 million | -3.9% |
| 2019 | 41.39 million | -3.5% |
| 2020 | 40.11 million | -3.1% |
| 2021 | 38.95 million | -2.9% |
| 2022 | 38.21 million | -1.9% |
| 2023 | 37.66 million | -1.4% |
| 2024 | 37.40 million | -0.7% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 37.40 million is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 281,700, 132.8× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- India's 37.40 million is above the median for South Asia, which is 441,450, 84.7× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 63.48 million | 58.28 million | 65.98 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 49.00 million | 41.39 million | 56.60 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 38.47 million | 37.40 million | 40.11 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near India
More reference data data for India
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 20.88 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 68.88 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 246.78 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 15.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 246.78 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 70.02 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 19.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 309.05 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1,063 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 85.03 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is malnutrition: number of children who are stunted in India?
- Malnutrition: number of children who are stunted in India was 37.40 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 India?
- The highest recorded value was 65.98 million in 2000.
- What is the lowest malnutrition: number of children who are stunted recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 37.40 million in 2024.
- How does India rank for malnutrition: number of children who are stunted?
- India ranks 1st out of 162 countries with data for 2024.
- Is malnutrition: number of children who are stunted rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is down 25.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this India 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.