Stunting vs. GDP per capita in Kenya
Kenya: Stunting vs. GDP per capita was 17.6% in 2022. ▼ Falling
Stunting vs. GDP per capita in Kenya, 1987–2022
Source: World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for stunting vs. gdp per capita in Kenya is 17.6%, measured in 2022. That is the lowest value across all 12 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 33.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, stunting vs. gdp per capita in Kenya peaked at 41.1% in 1994 and was at its lowest, 17.6%, in 2022.
That places Kenya 52nd out of 97 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 12 years of available data.
Stunting vs. GDP per capita in Kenya, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 37.0% | — |
| 1993 | 40.2% | +8.6% |
| 1994 | 41.1% | +2.2% |
| 1998 | 36.8% | -10.5% |
| 2000 | 40.8% | +10.9% |
| 2003 | 35.8% | -12.3% |
| 2005 | 40.3% | +12.6% |
| 2008 | 35.5% | -11.9% |
| 2011 | 26.3% | -25.9% |
| 2014 | 26.2% | -0.4% |
| 2016 | 28.6% | +9.2% |
| 2022 | 17.6% | -38.5% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 17.6% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 22.7%, 78% of the median. (38 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 17.6% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 28.5%, 62% of the median. (34 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 37.0% | 37.0% | 37.0% | 1 |
| 1990s | 39.4% | 36.8% | 41.1% | 3 |
| 2000s | 38.1% | 35.5% | 40.8% | 4 |
| 2010s | 27.0% | 26.2% | 28.6% | 3 |
| 2020s | 17.6% | 17.6% | 17.6% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
More reference data data for Kenya
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.5379 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 12.22 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 14.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.377 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 14.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.8 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.1 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 58.05 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 68.95 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.05 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is stunting vs. gdp per capita in Kenya?
- Stunting vs. gdp per capita in Kenya was 17.6% in 2022, according to World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest stunting vs. gdp per capita recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 41.1% in 1994.
- What is the lowest stunting vs. gdp per capita recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 17.6% in 2022.
- How does Kenya rank for stunting vs. gdp per capita?
- Kenya ranks 52nd out of 97 countries with data for 2022.
- Is stunting vs. gdp per capita rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is down 33.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Kenya 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 Stunting vs. GDP per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 12 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Stunting measures the share of children younger than 5 years that are too short for their age. GDP per capita is adjusted for inflation and differences in living costs between countries.