Number of children under 5 years of age who are stunted (modeled) in China
China: Number of children under 5 years of age who are stunted (modeled) was 2.4 million No in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Number of children under 5 years of age who are stunted (modeled) in China, 2000–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in million No.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of children under 5 years of age who are stunted (modeled) in China is 2.4 million No, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 11.1% on the previous year and down 60.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of children under 5 years of age who are stunted (modeled) in China peaked at 17 million No in 2000 and was at its lowest, 2.4 million No, in 2024.
China ranks 12th of 96 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of children under 5 years of age who are stunted (modeled) in China, year by year
| Year | million No | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 17 million No | — |
| 2001 | 15.6 million No | -8.2% |
| 2002 | 14.3 million No | -8.3% |
| 2003 | 13 million No | -9.1% |
| 2004 | 11.8 million No | -9.2% |
| 2005 | 10.8 million No | -8.5% |
| 2006 | 9.9 million No | -8.3% |
| 2007 | 9.2 million No | -7.1% |
| 2008 | 8.6 million No | -6.5% |
| 2009 | 8.1 million No | -5.8% |
| 2010 | 7.5 million No | -7.4% |
| 2011 | 7 million No | -6.7% |
| 2012 | 6.6 million No | -5.7% |
| 2013 | 6.3 million No | -4.5% |
| 2014 | 6 million No | -4.8% |
| 2015 | 5.8 million No | -3.3% |
| 2016 | 5.5 million No | -5.2% |
| 2017 | 5.3 million No | -3.6% |
| 2018 | 4.9 million No | -7.5% |
| 2019 | 4.4 million No | -10.2% |
| 2020 | 4 million No | -9.1% |
| 2021 | 3.5 million No | -12.5% |
| 2022 | 3.1 million No | -11.4% |
| 2023 | 2.7 million No | -12.9% |
| 2024 | 2.4 million No | -11.1% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 2.4 million No is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.2 million No, 12.0× the median. (30 countries reporting)
- China's 2.4 million No is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.5 million No, 4.8× the median. (11 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 11.83 million No | 8.1 million No | 17 million No | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.93 million No | 4.4 million No | 7.5 million No | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.14 million No | 2.4 million No | 4 million No | 5 |
Countries ranked near China
- 9 Afghanistan 2.8 million No compare
- 10 Democratic People's Republic of Korea 0.3 million No compare
- 10 Iran (Islamic Republic of) 0.3 million No compare
- 10 Sudan 2.7 million No compare
- 10 Türkiye 0.3 million No compare
- 11 Philippines 2.5 million No compare
- 13 Lao People's Democratic Republic 0.2 million No compare
- 13 Niger 2.3 million No compare
- 13 Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) 0.2 million No compare
- 14 Mozambique 2.1 million No compare
- 15 Bolivia (Plurinational State of) 0.1 million No compare
- 15 Timor-Leste 0.1 million No compare
- 15 Uganda 1.9 million No compare
More agriculture & rural data for China
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 1.98 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0666 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 923.03 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -1.48 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.3366 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 6.7% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 6.7% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.3% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 2.7% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of children under 5 years of age who are stunted (modeled) in China?
- Number of children under 5 years of age who are stunted (modeled) in China was 2.4 million No in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
- What is the highest number of children under 5 years of age who are stunted (modeled) recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 17 million No in 2000.
- What is the lowest number of children under 5 years of age who are stunted (modeled) recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.4 million No in 2024.
- How does China rank for number of children under 5 years of age who are stunted (modeled)?
- China ranks 12th out of 96 countries with data for 2024.
- Is number of children under 5 years of age who are stunted (modeled) rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 60.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, published as part of Number of children under 5 years of age who are stunted (modeled estimates) (million) — Value. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The Suite of Food Security Indicators presents the core set of food security indicators. Following the recommendation of experts gathered in the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) Round Table on hunger measurement, hosted at FAO headquarters in September 2011, an initial set of indicators aiming to capture various aspects of food insecurity is presented here. The choice of the indicators has been informed by expert judgement and the availability of data with sufficient coverage to enable comparisons across regions and over time. Many of these indicators are produced and published elsewhere by FAO and other international organizations. They are reported here in a single database with the aim of building a wide food security information system. More indicators will be added to this set as more data will become available. Indicators are classified along the four dimensions of food security -- availability, access, utilization and stability.