Prevalence of stunting among children under 5 years of age

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Headline data

2.2.1. Prevalence of stunting among children under 5 years of age
Year Value
2010
2011
2012 6.4
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021 0.1
2022 0.1
2023 0.2
2024 0.1
2025 0.2

Source: National Agency for Public Health

Geographical Area: The Republic of Moldova, without the left side of the river Nistru and the municipality of Bender

Unit of Measurement: Percent, %

Footnote:

This table provides metadata for the actual indicator available from Moldovan statistics closest to the corresponding global SDG indicator. Please note that even when the global SDG indicator is fully available, this table should be consulted for information on national methodology and other Moldovan-specific metadata information.

Indicator

Indicator 2.2.1: Prevalence of stunting among children under 5 years old
Definition and concepts

Height for age is an index of the linear growing, and a smaller height for the respective age is considered to be stunting. Stunting in children reflects a chronic nutritional deficiency and result in insufficient adequate dietary input for a long period of time, of recurrent or chronic disease, as well as of poor social-economic conditions. The indicator is measured according to the WHO Standards for Child Growth.
Unit of measure

Percent, %
Method of computation

Number of children under 5 years of age whose height-for-age is below two standard deviations from the median height-for-age according to WHO standards, divided by the total number of children under 5 years of age * 100.
Comparability with global indicator
<p>For 2012, the indicator is based on data obtained from the nationally representative 2012 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS). Beginning in 2021, the indicator has been calculated at the national level using administrative data collected through approved statistical reporting forms, in accordance with the national methodology and the World Health Organization (WHO) Child Growth Standards.</p> <p>Due to the lack of information of the number of children under 5 years of age assessed anthropometrically, the average annual population of children under 5 years of age was used. The values ​​obtained represent estimates based on the population of children under 5 years of age and may differ from the indicators calculated according to the standard methodology of the World Health Organization (WHO), which uses the number of children assessed anthropometrically as the denominator.</p>
Periodicity
<p>Annual</p> <p>At the global level, modelled estimates are generated annually.</p>
Data last updated Jul 15, 2026
Metadata last updated Jul 15, 2026

This table provides information on metadata for SDG indicators as defined by the UN Statistical Commission. Complete global metadata is provided by the UN Statistics Division.

Indicator

Indicator 2.2.1: 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
Target

Target 2.2: by 2030 end all forms of malnutrition, including achieving by 2025 the internationally agreed targets on stunting and wasting in children under five years of age, and address the nutritional needs of adolescent girls, pregnant and lactating women, and older persons
UN designated tier

1
Link to global metadata

https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/metadata/files/Metadata-02-02-01.pdf
metadata_fields.goal_meta_link_text

United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Metadata
International organisations(s) responsible for global monitoring

United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)

World Health Organization (WHO)
Related indicators

Good nutrition lays the foundation for achieving many of the SDGs with improvements in nutrition directly supporting the achievement of SDG3 (ensuring healthy lives), while also playing a role in ending poverty (SDG1), ensuring quality education (SDG4), achieving gender equality (SDG5), promoting economic growth (SDG8), and reducing inequalities (SDG10). In this way, nutrition is the lifeblood of sustainable development, and drives the changes needed for a more sustainable and prosperous future.
Metadata update

2025-03-28

Source 1

Data sources

Approved statistical forms
Data producers

National Agency for Public Health
Data providers

National Agency for Public Health, National Bureau of Statistics
Institutional mandate

Ministry of Health
Contact details

General Directorate for Data and Resource Analysis and Evaluation in Health, National Agency for Public Health, tel.: 022725292
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