The World Bank estimates that a 1% national shortfall in height can translate into a 1.4% loss in economic productivity. McGregor and Cheung of the International Child Development Steering Group found stunted children earn 20% less as adults.
The challenge with stunting is that it is difficult to reverse. As many as 46.8 million—29% of the world’s stunted children under the age of five—live in India.
Source: World Bank Data