Introduction: The short interpregnancy intervals have been commonly associated with adverse perinatal outcomes; however, little is known about their role in the health of children in the medium and long term, such as chronic malnutrition. Objective: To determine the association of interpregnancy intervals and chronic malnutrition in children under fi ve years of age at the National Hospital Sergio E. Bernales (HNSEB), Comas, Lima, Peru. Material and methods: Unpaired casecontrol study, carried out from June to October 2016. The relationship of the short interpregnancy intervals and other factors in relation to chronic malnutrition was evaluated. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed, using binary logistic regression. Results: 154 cases and 154 controls were analyzed. In the multivariate analysis, the short interval between pregnancies (OR = 2.64, 95% CI 1.61- 4.34), and the lower/marginal low socioeconomic level (OR = 10.69; IC 95% 4.60-24.82) were associated with chronic malnutrition independent of other factors. Conclusions: The short interpregnancy interval was associated to the presence of chronic malnutrition in children who attended the growth and development program of a general hospital in Lima, Peru.