Malnutrition: Share of children who are stunted in El Salvador

El Salvador: Malnutrition: Share of children who are stunted was 10.0% in 2021. ▼ Falling

Latest (2021)
10.0%
World rank
74th
of 97 countries
All-time high
36.7%
in 1988
All-time low
10.0%
in 2021
Years of data
7
1988–2021

Malnutrition: Share of children who are stunted in El Salvador, 1988–2021

102030401988200420211988: 36.7 %1993: 31.6 %1998: 32.3 %2003: 24.6 %2008: 20.8 %2014: 13.6 %2021: 10 %

Source: World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for malnutrition: share of children who are stunted in El Salvador is 10.0%, measured in 2021. That is the lowest value across all 7 years on record.

The figure is down 51.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, malnutrition: share of children who are stunted in El Salvador peaked at 36.7% in 1988 and was at its lowest, 10.0%, in 2021.

That places El Salvador 74th out of 97 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the bottom quarter.

Malnutrition: Share of children who are stunted in El Salvador, year by year

Annual values for Malnutrition: Share of children who are stunted in El Salvador, 1988 to 2021.
Year % Change
1988 36.7%
1993 31.6% -13.9%
1998 32.3% +2.2%
2003 24.6% -23.8%
2008 20.8% -15.4%
2014 13.6% -34.6%
2021 10.0% -26.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 36.7% 36.7% 36.7% 1
1990s 31.9% 31.6% 32.3% 2
2000s 22.7% 20.8% 24.6% 2
2010s 13.6% 13.6% 13.6% 1
2020s 10.0% 10.0% 10.0% 1

Countries ranked near El Salvador

  1. 71 Oman 11.4% compare
  2. 72 Saudi Arabia 10.8% compare
  3. 73 Sri Lanka 10.5% compare
  4. 75 Algeria 9.8% compare
  5. 76 Guyana 9.5% compare
  6. 77 Armenia 9.4% compare

See the full ranking of 97 places →

More reference data data for El Salvador

All data for El Salvador →

Frequently asked questions

What is malnutrition: share of children who are stunted in El Salvador?
Malnutrition: share of children who are stunted in El Salvador was 10.0% in 2021, according to World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest malnutrition: share of children who are stunted recorded in El Salvador?
The highest recorded value was 36.7% in 1988.
What is the lowest malnutrition: share of children who are stunted recorded in El Salvador?
The lowest recorded value was 10.0% in 2021.
How does El Salvador rank for malnutrition: share of children who are stunted?
El Salvador ranks 74th out of 97 countries with data for 2021.
Is malnutrition: share of children who are stunted rising or falling in El Salvador?
Over the last ten years it is down 51.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this El Salvador 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: Share of children who are stunted. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Malnutrition: Share of children who are stunted in El Salvador. Statizoid, drawing on World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 02 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/share-of-children-younger-than-5-who-suffer-from-stunting/el-salvador/

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About this data

Indicator
Malnutrition: Share of children who are stunted
Unit
%
Source
World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
97 places, 955 data points, 1985–2024
Last refreshed

Share of children younger than five years old who are defined as stunted. Stunting is when a child is significantly shorter than the average for their age. It is a consequence of poor nutrition or repeated infection.