In 2022, the average household size in Malaysia stood at 3.8 persons. This was a slight decrease from the household size in 2019. Malaysia's overall average household size, both in the urban and rural areas, has been decreasing over the years.

In 2023, the total fertility rate in children per woman in Malaysia was 1.55. Between 1960 and 2023, the figure dropped by 4.86, though the decline followed an uneven course rather than a steady trajectory.

In 2024, 21.8 percent of the population of Malaysia were children. Children here are defined as people between zero and 14 years of age. The share of children in Malaysia's population has been declining in the last decade.

Malaysia Prevalence of Stunting: Height for Age: % of Children Under 5, Modeled Estimate data was reported at 24.300 % in 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 23.700 % for 2023. Malaysia Prevalence of Stunting: Height for Age: % of Children Under 5, Modeled Estimate data is updated yearly, averaging 18.900 % from Dec 2000 (Median) to 2024, with 25 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 24.300 % in 2024 and a record low of 17.800 % in 2011. Malaysia Prevalence of Stunting: Height for Age: % of Children Under 5, Modeled Estimate data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Malaysia – Table MY.World Bank.WDI: Social: Health Statistics. Prevalence of stunting is the percentage of children under age 5 whose height for age is more than two standard deviations below the median for the international reference population ages 0-59 months. For children up to two years old height is measured by recumbent length. For older children height is measured by stature while standing. The data are based on the WHO's 2006 Child Growth Standards.;UNICEF, WHO, World Bank: Joint child Malnutrition Estimates (JME).;Weighted average;Undernourished children have lower resistance to infection and are more likely to die from common childhood ailments such as diarrheal diseases and respiratory infections. Frequent illness saps the nutritional status of those who survive, locking them into a vicious cycle of recurring sickness and faltering growth (UNICEF). Being even mildly underweight increases the risk of death and inhibits cognitive development in children. And it perpetuates the problem across generations, as malnourished women are more likely to have low-birth-weight babies. Stunting, or being below median height for age, is often used as a proxy for multifaceted deprivation and as an indicator of long-term changes in malnutrition. Estimates are modeled estimates produced by the JME. Primary data sources of the anthropometric measurements are national surveys. These surveys are administered sporadically, resulting in sparse data for many countries. Furthermore, the trend of the indicators over time is usually not a straight line and varies by country. Tracking the current level and progress of indicators helps determine if countries are on track to meet certain thresholds, such as those indicated in the SDGs. Thus the JME developed statistical models and produced the modeled estimates.

Malaysia: Deaths of male children under five years of age per 1000 live births: The latest value from 2022 is 9 deaths per 1000 births, unchanged from 9 deaths per 1000 births in 2021. In comparison, the world average is 27 deaths per 1000 births, based on data from 187 countries. Historically, the average for Malaysia from 1960 to 2022 is 30 deaths per 1000 births. The minimum value, 9 deaths per 1000 births, was reached in 2003 while the maximum of 100 deaths per 1000 births was recorded in 1960.

Malaysia Probability of Dying at Age 5-14 Years: per 1000 Children Age 5 data was reported at 2.600 Ratio in 2016. This stayed constant from the previous number of 2.600 Ratio for 2015. Malaysia Probability of Dying at Age 5-14 Years: per 1000 Children Age 5 data is updated yearly, averaging 2.700 Ratio from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2016, with 5 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 5.000 Ratio in 1990 and a record low of 2.600 Ratio in 2016. Malaysia Probability of Dying at Age 5-14 Years: per 1000 Children Age 5 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Malaysia – Table MY.World Bank: Health Statistics. Probability of dying between age 5-14 years of age expressed per 1,000 children aged 5, if subject to age-specific mortality rates of the specified year.; ; Estimates developed by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNICEF, WHO, World Bank, UN DESA Population Division) at www.childmortality.org.; Weighted Average;

Malaysia: Secondary school enrollment, percent of all eligible children: The latest value from 2023 is 85.51 percent, an increase from 84.54 percent in 2022. In comparison, the world average is 80.39 percent, based on data from 78 countries. Historically, the average for Malaysia from 1970 to 2023 is 70.91 percent. The minimum value, 39.56 percent, was reached in 1970 while the maximum of 85.66 percent was recorded in 2014.

Malaysia: Primary school enrollment, percent of all eligible children: The latest value from 2023 is 98.84 percent, an increase from 97.76 percent in 2022. In comparison, the world average is 98.82 percent, based on data from 97 countries. Historically, the average for Malaysia from 1970 to 2023 is 99.89 percent. The minimum value, 91.99 percent, was reached in 1970 while the maximum of 102.76 percent was recorded in 1996.

In 2022, there were approximately **** million students enrolled in public schools in Malaysia, which include government or government-aided schools. This was a slight increase from **** million primary school students in 2020.

Malaysia: Preprimary school enrollment, percent of all eligible children: The latest value from 2021 is 87.5 percent, a decline from 96.75 percent in 2020. In comparison, the world average is 52.40 percent, based on data from 66 countries. Historically, the average for Malaysia from 1974 to 2021 is 59.05 percent. The minimum value, 8.26 percent, was reached in 1974 while the maximum of 99.97 percent was recorded in 2017.

Malaysia Immunization: Measles: % of Children Aged 12-23 Months data was reported at 93.000 % in 2017. This stayed constant from the previous number of 93.000 % for 2016. Malaysia Immunization: Measles: % of Children Aged 12-23 Months data is updated yearly, averaging 95.000 % from Dec 1983 (Median) to 2017, with 35 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 98.000 % in 1997 and a record low of 11.000 % in 1983. Malaysia Immunization: Measles: % of Children Aged 12-23 Months data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Malaysia – Table MY.World Bank.WDI: Health Statistics. Child immunization, measles, measures the percentage of children ages 12-23 months who received the measles vaccination before 12 months or at any time before the survey. A child is considered adequately immunized against measles after receiving one dose of vaccine.; ; WHO and UNICEF (http://www.who.int/immunization/monitoring_surveillance/en/).; Weighted average;

In 2023, the total fertility rate in Malaysia was approximately 1.7 births per woman aged 15 to 49 years. The total fertility rate refers to the average number of children which would be born to a woman during their reproductive period. This period are then subject to the schedule of age–specific fertility rates for the given year.

In 2023, around ******* male students and ******* female students were enrolled in public higher institutions in Malaysia. While the number of male students enrolled had steadily decreased since 2019, there was still a significantly higher number of females than male students. This reflected the worldwide trend of more women entering higher education than men. High enrollment numbers, low workforce participation rates Despite this, the realities of gender inequality were felt soon after graduation. In 2023, women were still underrepresented in the workforce, where the labor force participation rate of male graduates was significantly higher than that of females. The average female employee still earned less than the average male employee, and once married, almost half of these women stopped participating in the workforce. Importance of women in the workforce The deficit in female economic contribution was reflected in a 2021 survey of the business sector in Malaysia, where at that time around ** percent of all board members were female. The expectations on women to carry out the traditional role of caregiver in the family could only go so far to explain these statistics. Many Malaysians seemed to be aware that more needed to be done to address gender inequality in the business sector. To meet the challenges of Industry 4.0, Malaysia cannot afford to lose the contribution of its increasingly highly educated and highly skilled women in the workforce.

Malaysia Low-Birthweight Babies: % of Births data was reported at 11.100 % in 2012. This records an increase from the previous number of 11.000 % for 2009. Malaysia Low-Birthweight Babies: % of Births data is updated yearly, averaging 10.500 % from Dec 1998 (Median) to 2012, with 5 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 11.100 % in 2012 and a record low of 9.000 % in 2002. Malaysia Low-Birthweight Babies: % of Births data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Malaysia – Table MY.World Bank.WDI: Health Statistics. Low-birthweight babies are newborns weighing less than 2,500 grams, with the measurement taken within the first hours of life, before significant postnatal weight loss has occurred.; ; UNICEF, State of the World's Children, Childinfo, and Demographic and Health Surveys.; Weighted average;

Malaysia Prevalence of Overweight: Weight for Height: % of Children Under 5, Modeled Estimate data was reported at 5.300 % in 2024. This records a decrease from the previous number of 5.400 % for 2023. Malaysia Prevalence of Overweight: Weight for Height: % of Children Under 5, Modeled Estimate data is updated yearly, averaging 5.900 % from Dec 2000 (Median) to 2024, with 25 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 6.200 % in 2013 and a record low of 5.300 % in 2024. Malaysia Prevalence of Overweight: Weight for Height: % of Children Under 5, Modeled Estimate data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Malaysia – Table MY.World Bank.WDI: Social: Health Statistics. Prevalence of overweight children is the percentage of children under age 5 whose weight for height is more than two standard deviations above the median for the international reference population of the corresponding age as established by the WHO's 2006 Child Growth Standards.;UNICEF, WHO, World Bank: Joint child Malnutrition Estimates (JME).;Weighted average;Once considered only a high-income economy problem, overweight children have become a growing concern in developing countries. Research shows an association between childhood obesity and a high prevalence of diabetes, respiratory disease, high blood pressure, and psychosocial and orthopedic disorders (de Onis and Blössner 2003). Childhood obesity is associated with a higher chance of obesity, premature death, and disability in adulthood. In addition to increased future risks, obese children experience breathing difficulties and increased risk of fractures, hypertension, early markers of cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance, and psychological effects. Children in low- and middle-income countries are more vulnerable to inadequate nutrition before birth and in infancy and early childhood. Many of these children are exposed to high-fat, high-sugar, high-salt, calorie-dense, micronutrient-poor foods, which tend be lower in cost than more nutritious foods. These dietary patterns, in conjunction with low levels of physical activity, result in sharp increases in childhood obesity, while under-nutrition continues. Estimates are modeled estimates produced by the JME. Primary data sources of the anthropometric measurements are national surveys. These surveys are administered sporadically, resulting in sparse data for many countries. Furthermore, the trend of the indicators over time is usually not a straight line and varies by country. Tracking the current level and progress of indicators helps determine if countries are on track to meet certain thresholds, such as those indicated in the SDGs. Thus the JME developed statistical models and produced the modeled estimates.

Malaysia Immunization: DPT: % of Children Aged 12-23 Months data was reported at 99.000 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 95.000 % for 2016. Malaysia Immunization: DPT: % of Children Aged 12-23 Months data is updated yearly, averaging 96.500 % from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2017, with 28 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 99.000 % in 2017 and a record low of 90.000 % in 1990. Malaysia Immunization: DPT: % of Children Aged 12-23 Months data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Malaysia – Table MY.World Bank.WDI: Health Statistics. Child immunization, DPT, measures the percentage of children ages 12-23 months who received DPT vaccinations before 12 months or at any time before the survey. A child is considered adequately immunized against diphtheria, pertussis (or whooping cough), and tetanus (DPT) after receiving three doses of vaccine.; ; WHO and UNICEF (http://www.who.int/immunization/monitoring_surveillance/en/).; Weighted average;

MY: ARI Treatment: % of Children Under 5 Taken to a Health Provider data was reported at 91.600 % in 2016. MY: ARI Treatment: % of Children Under 5 Taken to a Health Provider data is updated yearly, averaging 91.600 % from Dec 2016 (Median) to 2016, with 1 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 91.600 % in 2016 and a record low of 91.600 % in 2016. MY: ARI Treatment: % of Children Under 5 Taken to a Health Provider data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Malaysia – Table MY.World Bank.WDI: Social: Health Statistics. Children with acute respiratory infection (ARI) who are taken to a health provider refers to the percentage of children under age five with ARI in the last two weeks who were taken to an appropriate health provider, including hospital, health center, dispensary, village health worker, clinic, and private physician.;UNICEF, State of the World's Children, Childinfo, and Demographic and Health Surveys.;Weighted average;

Malaysia Immunization: HepB3: % of One-Year-Old Children data was reported at 98.000 % in 2017. This stayed constant from the previous number of 98.000 % for 2016. Malaysia Immunization: HepB3: % of One-Year-Old Children data is updated yearly, averaging 96.000 % from Dec 1989 (Median) to 2017, with 29 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 99.000 % in 2015 and a record low of 69.000 % in 1989. Malaysia Immunization: HepB3: % of One-Year-Old Children data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Malaysia – Table MY.World Bank: Health Statistics. Child immunization rate, hepatitis B is the percentage of children ages 12-23 months who received hepatitis B vaccinations before 12 months or at any time before the survey. A child is considered adequately immunized after three doses.; ; WHO and UNICEF (http://www.who.int/immunization/monitoring_surveillance/en/).; Weighted average;