Stunting may not be Stunting When Body Shape is Factored into its Assessment

Authors

  • J-P. Papart Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois CHUV, Policlinique de Morges, Rue De La Gare, 15. CH1110 Morges, Switzerland
  • A. Lagunju International Social Services, West Africa, GPO Box 12203, Ibadan, Nigeria
  • G. Gonzalez Asociación Kusi Warma, Los Patriotas 494, Maranga, San Miguel, Lima 32, Perú
  • M. Roulet Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois CHUV

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.12974/2313-0946.2017.04.01.1

Keywords:

Nutrition, Stunting, Body shape, Anthropometry, Epigenetics

Abstract

The study investigated the relationship between height-for-age and body shape of children under 5 in some parts of Peru, India, Bangladesh and Guinea. The objective of the study was to determine whether the consideration of body shape measured by SSHr in the assessment of stunting could change our understanding of stunting in children in different areas of the world.

Anthropometric samples of children aged between 2 to 5 years were collected from Terre des homes Foundation (A Swiss NGO) nutrition project sites in Peru (districts of Andahuaylas, Ventanilla, Huancaray, Turpo, Talavera, San Jeronimo, Lliupapuquio), Guinea (Municipalities of Dixinn, Ratoma), Bangladesh (districts of Mogholbasa, Belgacha, Holokhana, Panchgachi) and India (districts of the Sunderban). The SSHr of the children under study were:

                                        Peru                                    Bangladesh                                         India                                    Guinea

24-35 months                  0.605                                    0.580                                                      0.572                                    0.556

36-47 months                  0.584                                    0.571                                                      0.557                                    0.542

48-59 months                  0.573                                    0.562                                                      0.552                                    0.531

All children                  0.586                                    0.568                                                      0.561                                    0.543

Global delay of growth using the HAZ indices among these children were Peru: 32.4% (MDG-23.1%; SDG- 9.4%), Guinea: 18.5% (MDG- 11.0%; SDG- 7.5%), India 43.6% (MDG- 27%; SDG- 16.6%) Bangladesh: 30.5% (MDG- 26.0%; 4.6%). These figures changed dramatically particularly for Peru when the SSHr was factored into the calculations of stunting: Peru: 0.4% (MDG-0.4%; SDG- 0%), Guinea: 18.4% (MDG- 10.0%; SDG- 8.4%), India 16.4% (MDG- 13.7%; SDG- 2.7%) Bangladesh: 2.9% (MDG- 2.7%; SDG- 0.3%).

References

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Published

2022-06-15

How to Cite

Papart, J.-P., Lagunju, A., Gonzalez, G., & Roulet, M. (2022). Stunting may not be Stunting When Body Shape is Factored into its Assessment. Global Journal Of Epidemiology and Public Health, 4(1), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.12974/2313-0946.2017.04.01.1

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