Times of Better Bharat

India, measured — every morning · est. 2026

Child stunting

Share of children under five who are too short for their age — the standard marker of chronic undernutrition, and a burden that follows a child into adulthood. Still around a third of Indian children, though falling; surveys are several years apart.

Position from worst
35.5
2020
Published by
World Bank
irregular

Child stunting over time

30.0%40.0%50.0%60.0%70.0%1989199419992004200920142019202035.5%
1989–2020 · 10 observations · lower is better · % of under-fives
View as table
PeriodChild stunting
202035.5%
201736.1%
201537.9%
201438.7%
200647.8%
199951.0%
199745.9%
199257.1%
199161.9%
198962.7%

Compared with

Germany
1.3%
United States
3.8%
China
4.8%
Japan
7.1%
Brazil
8.0%
Sri Lanka
10.5%
Vietnam
18.2%
South Africa
21.3%
Indonesia
22.0%
Bangladesh
23.6%
Nepal
24.8%
India
35.5%
Pakistan
37.6%
Latest available year for each country · % of under-fives · lower is better

Source

World Bank — https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SH.STA.STNT.ZS