- Name
- Prevalence of stunting (height for age <-2 standard deviation from the median of the World Health Organization (WHO) Child Growth Standards) among children under 5 years of age
- Indicator purpose
- This purpose of this indicator is to demonstrate that impaired growth and development resulting from poor nutrition, repeated infection, and inadequate psychosocial stimulation have a huge impact on the health of children.
- Abstract
- Child growth is an internationally accepted outcome reflecting child nutritional status. Child stunting refers to a child who is too short for his or her age and is the result of chronic or recurrent malnutrition. Stunting is a contributing risk factor to child mortality and is also a marker of inequalities in human development. Stunted children fail to reach their physical and cognitive potential. Child stunting is one of the World Health Assembly nutrition target indicators.
- Contact organization / person
- Statistical Institute of Belize
- Unit of measure
- Percentage (%)
- Other characteristics
- The standard analysis approach to construct the joint data set aims for a maximum comparability of country estimates. For the inclusion of survey estimates into the JME dataset, the inter-agency group applies survey quality assessment criteria. When there is insufficient documentation, the survey is not included until information becomes available. When raw data are available, and there is a question about the analysis approach, data re-analysis is performed following the standard methodology.
- Classification used
- Stunting is the impaired growth and development that children experience from poor nutrition, repeated infection, and inadequate psychosocial stimulation. Children are defined as stunted if their height-for-age is more than two standard deviations below the WHO Child Growth Standards median. Linear growth in early childhood is a strong marker of healthy growth given its association with morbidity and mortality risk, non-communicable diseases in later life, and learning capacity and productivity. It is also closely linked with child development in several domains including cognitive, language and sensory-motor capacities.
- Disaggregation
- is by sex, age groups, household wealth, mothers' education, residence.
- Key statistical concepts
- Survey estimates are based on standardized methodology using the WHO Child Growth Standards as described elsewhere (Ref: Anthro software manual). Global and regional estimates are based on methodology outlined in UNICEF-WHO-The World Bank: Joint child malnutrition estimates - Levels and trends (UNICEF/WHO/WB 2012)
- Recommended uses
- Prevalence of stunting should be measured and documented, and the results widely disseminated to the public by the associated line ministries and related organizations.
- Other comments
- All the metadata shown in this document was gathered from United Nation Statistics Division. The metadata was extracted from https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/metadata/.
- Baseline
- 15.0 (2015)
- Target 2020
- Prevalence of stunting cut by 10%
- Target 2030
- Prevalence of stunting cut by 30%
