Malnutrition: Share of children who are stunted in Jamaica

Jamaica: Malnutrition: Share of children who are stunted was 4.6% in 2018. ▼ Falling

Latest (2018)
4.6%
Change on year
down 50.5%
World rank
90th
of 97 countries
All-time high
14.4%
in 1992
All-time low
4.6%
in 2018
Years of data
22
1989–2018

Malnutrition: Share of children who are stunted in Jamaica, 1989–2018

4681012141989200320181989: 12 %1991: 11.8 %1992: 14.4 %1993: 12.6 %1994: 12.1 %1995: 9.7 %1996: 11.2 %1997: 8.7 %1998: 9.5 %1999: 5.7 %2000: 7.2 %2001: 6.6 %2002: 8.2 %2004: 4.9 %2006: 7.5 %2007: 5.4 %2008: 6.9 %2010: 6 %2012: 6.8 %2014: 6 %2016: 9.3 %2018: 4.6 %

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

Analysis

Jamaica recorded 4.6% for malnutrition: share of children who are stunted in 2018. That is the lowest value across all 22 years on record.

The figure is down 50.5% on the previous year and down 33.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, malnutrition: share of children who are stunted in Jamaica peaked at 14.4% in 1992 and was at its lowest, 4.6%, in 2018.

Jamaica ranks 90th of 97 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 22 years of available data.

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

Annual values for Malnutrition: Share of children who are stunted in Jamaica, 1989 to 2018.
Year % Change
1989 12.0%
1991 11.8% -1.7%
1992 14.4% +22.0%
1993 12.6% -12.5%
1994 12.1% -4.0%
1995 9.7% -19.8%
1996 11.2% +15.5%
1997 8.7% -22.3%
1998 9.5% +9.2%
1999 5.7% -40.0%
2000 7.2% +26.3%
2001 6.6% -8.3%
2002 8.2% +24.2%
2004 4.9% -40.2%
2006 7.5% +53.1%
2007 5.4% -28.0%
2008 6.9% +27.8%
2010 6.0% -13.0%
2012 6.8% +13.3%
2014 6.0% -11.8%
2016 9.3% +55.0%
2018 4.6% -50.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 12.0% 12.0% 12.0% 1
1990s 10.6% 5.7% 14.4% 9
2000s 6.7% 4.9% 8.2% 7
2010s 6.5% 4.6% 9.3% 5

Countries ranked near Jamaica

  1. 87 Türkiye 6.0% compare
  2. 88 China 4.8% compare
  3. 88 Iran 4.8% compare
  4. 91 United States 3.8% compare
  5. 92 Kuwait 3.2% compare
  6. 93 Finland 2.8% compare

See the full ranking of 97 places →

More reference data data for Jamaica

All data for Jamaica →

Frequently asked questions

What is malnutrition: share of children who are stunted in Jamaica?
Malnutrition: share of children who are stunted in Jamaica was 4.6% in 2018, 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 Jamaica?
The highest recorded value was 14.4% in 1992.
What is the lowest malnutrition: share of children who are stunted recorded in Jamaica?
The lowest recorded value was 4.6% in 2018.
How does Jamaica rank for malnutrition: share of children who are stunted?
Jamaica ranks 90th out of 97 countries with data for 2018.
Is malnutrition: share of children who are stunted rising or falling in Jamaica?
Over the last ten years it is down 33.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Jamaica 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 Jamaica. Statizoid, drawing on World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 29 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/share-of-children-younger-than-5-who-suffer-from-stunting/jamaica/

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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.