In the late 1990s many residents of Itabaianinha under 15 years started receiving hormonal treatment. The population of dwarfs is dwindling, with only an estimated one hundred remaining, mostly in the village of Carretéis, ten miles from Itabaianinha center.
Itabaianinha is noted for its large dwarf population. It is sometimes called "a cidade dos anões" ("the city of dwarfs").