Skip to main content
PNISAN Republic of Burundi National Food Security and Nutrition Information Platform

Quick search

Nutrition NUT-01 Validated official value

Prevalence of stunting among children under 5 years

Proportion of children aged 0 to 59 months whose height-for-age is below minus 2 standard deviations from the median of the WHO Child Growth Standards. A decrease in this indicator reflects an improvement of the situation.

National trend

52,8 % in 2024, the lowest level measured

Prevalence of stunting among children under 5 years: 4 observations from 2016-2017 to 2024. Latest value: 52,8 % (2024).

First measurement (2016-2017)
55,9 %
Highest (2018)
57,0 %
Lowest (2024)
52,8 %
Change since 2016-2017
−3,1 pts

Distribution by province, 2018

Map: Prevalence of stunting among children under 5 years, 2018
Darker: less favourable
  1. 19,5 to 53,5 %
  2. 53,5 to 55,4 %
  3. 55,4 to 57,3 %
  4. 57,3 to 60,0 %
  5. 60,0 to 64,0 %
Compare the provinces

Vertical axis starts at zero. Sources: 4 publications, cited value by value in the Table tab.

Territorial comparison

Situation by province

8 provinces out of 18 above the national value. The gap between Bujumbura Mairie and Ngozi reaches 44,5 pts.

Bujumbura Mairie, most favourable situation
19,5 %
Ngozi, least favourable situation
64,0 %
provinces above the national value (57,0 %)
8 of 18
Map: Prevalence of stunting among children under 5 years, 2018
Darker: less favourable
  1. 19,5 to 53,5 %
  2. 53,5 to 55,4 %
  3. 55,4 to 57,3 %
  4. 57,3 to 60,0 %
  5. 60,0 to 64,0 %

Province ranking, 2018

From most to least favourable: a low value is favourable.

  1. Bujumbura Mairie 19,5 more favourable than the national value
  2. Rumonge 51,0 more favourable than the national value
  3. Makamba 51,1 more favourable than the national value
  4. Bujumbura Rural 52,9 more favourable than the national value
  5. Bubanza 54,5 more favourable than the national value
  6. Bururi 55,0 more favourable than the national value
  7. Muramvya 55,2 more favourable than the national value
  8. Gitega 55,5 more favourable than the national value
  9. Karusi 56,0 more favourable than the national value
  10. Rutana 56,3 more favourable than the national value
  11. Cankuzo 57,3 less favourable than the national value
  12. Muyinga 57,4 less favourable than the national value
  13. Cibitoke 57,5 less favourable than the national value
  14. Mwaro 57,5 less favourable than the national value
  15. Kirundo 61,6 less favourable than the national value
  16. Kayanza 62,5 less favourable than the national value
  17. Ruyigi 63,6 less favourable than the national value
  18. Ngozi 64,0 less favourable than the national value

More favourable than national Less favourable Vertical line: national, 57,0

Province ranking, 2018
Rank Province Value (%) Gap to national Change since 2016-2017
1 Bujumbura Mairie 19,5 −37,5 −4,2 pts
2 Rumonge 51,0 −6,0 −2,4 pts
3 Makamba 51,1 −5,9 −1,0 pt
4 Bujumbura Rural 52,9 −4,1 +1,4 pt
5 Bubanza 54,5 −2,5 −1,3 pt
6 Bururi 55,0 −2,0 +6,0 pts
7 Muramvya 55,2 −1,8 −8,9 pts
8 Gitega 55,5 −1,5 −4,1 pts
9 Karusi 56,0 −1,0 −6,8 pts
10 Rutana 56,3 −0,7 +6,7 pts
11 Cankuzo 57,3 +0,3 −2,1 pts
12 Muyinga 57,4 +0,4 −8,2 pts
13 Cibitoke 57,5 +0,5 +0,8 pt
14 Mwaro 57,5 +0,5 +7,1 pts
15 Kirundo 61,6 +4,6 −1,3 pt
16 Kayanza 62,5 +5,5 +4,5 pts
17 Ruyigi 63,6 +6,6 +11,4 pts
18 Ngozi 64,0 +7,0 +2,7 pts

Breakdowns

Gaps across population groups

By area of residence

2016-2017, percentage

  • Urban : 2016-2017 27,8
  • Rural : 2016-2017 58,8

Gap between Urban and Rural in 2016-2017: 31,0 pts

By sex

2016-2017 to 2024, percentage

  • Boys : 2016-2017 59,4, 2018 60,6, 2023 59,4, 2024 56,6
  • Girls : 2016-2017 52,4, 2018 53,4, 2023 52,2, 2024 49,1

Gap between Boys and Girls in 2024: 7,5 pts

Definition and calculation

Methodology and metadata

Definition

Proportion of children aged 0 to 59 months whose height-for-age is below minus 2 standard deviations from the median of the WHO Child Growth Standards

Calculation method

(Number of children aged 0 to 59 months with height-for-age < -2 SD) / (Total number of children aged 0 to 59 months measured) x 100

Numerator

Number of children aged 0 to 59 months with height-for-age < -2 SD

Denominator

Total number of children aged 0 to 59 months measured

Metadata

Code
NUT-01
System
Nutrition
Unit
Percentage
Frequency
Annual
Reference source
SMART survey, DHS
Data sources
All sources
Reading direction
A decrease in this indicator reflects an improvement of the situation.
Version
1

Open data

Download, cite, embed

CSV file National series and provincial values, with sources and validation dates. Nutrition catalogue (CSV) Latest value of every indicator in the same system.
Code to copy into a website or an online report.
Cite this indicator
PNISAN (2026). Prevalence of stunting among children under 5 years, NUT-01. National Food Security and Nutrition Information Platform. pnisan.bi/indicateurs/1

Reuse terms: Open licence, free reuse with attribution of the source: PNISAN, SEP/PMSAN