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Growth retardation among children in southern Iran: a 7-year population based cohort study

Mohammad Javad Fatemi1, Mostafa Dianatinasab2, Golnaz Sharifnia3

  • 1Student research center for health sciences, department of epidemiology, school of health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.

BMC Public Health
|September 12, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Childhood stunting, a prevalent health issue, begins around six months for boys and nine months for girls. Early detection is crucial for intervention and preventing long-term growth problems in children.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Growth and Development
  • Public Health and Epidemiology
  • Child Nutrition

Background:

  • Growth retardation, or stunting, is a significant global health concern requiring early identification and intervention strategies.
  • Understanding the precise age of onset for stunting in different populations is critical for developing targeted preventive measures.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the approximate age at which stunting begins in Iranian boys and girls.
  • To analyze growth patterns in stunted versus normal children to identify divergence points.

Main Methods:

  • A population-based retrospective cohort nested case-control study involving 400 children followed from birth to seven years.
  • Comparison of growth trajectories (height and weight) between stunted (below 3rd percentile) and normal children.
  • Statistical analysis to identify significant differences in growth parameters at specific ages.

Main Results:

  • Stunting affected approximately 18% of the studied children.
  • Significant height divergence in boys occurred around 6 months (0.70 cm difference, P=0.04), and in girls around 9 months (0.97 cm difference, P=0.01).
  • Stunted boys showed significantly lower weight from approximately 6 months onwards (1265.19 g difference, P=0.001), while no significant weight difference was observed in girls.

Conclusions:

  • Childhood stunting patterns begin to deviate from normal growth trajectories shortly after birth, around 6-9 months of age.
  • This divergence coincides with the introduction of complementary feeding and weaning practices.
  • Further research is recommended to elucidate the specific etiological factors contributing to stunting in Iranian children.
Abstract

Keywords:
BreastfeedingChildrenGrowth retardationHeight

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