Stunted growth

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Stunted growth
Share of children who are stunted, 1, OWID.svg
Synonyms Stunting
Pronounce N/A
Specialty N/A
Symptoms Short stature, delayed development
Complications Impaired cognitive development, increased risk of illness
Onset Childhood
Duration Long-term
Types N/A
Causes Malnutrition, chronic infection, poor maternal health
Risks Poverty, inadequate sanitation, lack of access to healthcare
Diagnosis Growth chart, physical examination
Differential diagnosis Genetic disorders, hormonal disorders
Prevention Adequate nutrition, improved maternal health, sanitation
Treatment Nutritional support, medical care
Medication N/A
Prognosis N/A
Frequency Affects approximately 22% of children under 5 globally
Deaths N/A


Stunted growth, also known as Growth retardation, is a reduced growth rate in human development. It is a primary manifestation of malnutrition (or more precisely undernutrition) and recurrent infections, such as diarrhea and helminthiasis, in early childhood and even before birth, due to malnutrition during fetal development brought on by a malnourished mother. The definition of stunting according to the World Health Organization (WHO) is for the "height for age" value to be less than two standard deviations of the WHO Child Growth Standards median.

Causes[edit | edit source]

Stunted growth is the result of chronic or recurrent undernutrition, usually associated with poor socioeconomic conditions, poor maternal health and nutrition, frequent illness, and/or inappropriate infant and young child feeding and care in early life.

Effects[edit | edit source]

Stunted growth also affects mental development and health status later in life, resulting in decreased productivity and increased risk of degenerative diseases, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Prevention and treatment[edit | edit source]

Prevention is possible with improved diet and nutritional intake, improved health and sanitation services, and better access to education. Treatment includes nutritional education and support, and treating and preventing infections.

See also[edit | edit source]

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PubMed
Wikipedia
Prevalence of stunting in children under 5 years by region
The prevalence of child stunting generally increases as cities become smaller and moving away from urban centres; child wasting and overweight are lower and exhibit less evident trends across the rural-urban continuum
Children in unsanitary conditions in slum in India
Child in slum in Kampala (Uganda) next to open sewage
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Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD