Anna Milman|Edward A. Frongillo|Mercedes de Onís|Ji Hye Hwang
Differential Improvement among Countries in Child Stunting Is Associated with Long-Term Development and Specific Interventions
Cornell University|Cornell University|Cornell University|World Health Organization|Cornell University
stunting represents growth failure resulting poor nutrition health pre postnatal periods initiatives since 1980 steadily reduced malnutrition consequent retardation child growth 1 3 preschool children worldwide remains stunted countries varied substantially progress achieved reducing stunting study aimed understand underlying ie proximal basic ie distal national factors important explaining variation among countries relation 2 sets factors eightyfive developing countries least 2 surveys stunting 4 apart included global database child growth analytic data set independent variables several sources constructed match closely year country initial final stunting data fullinformation maximum likelihood estimated multiple linear regression models accounting missing data independent variables final model explained 655 variance change stunting included underlying basic variables initial change immunization rate initial change safe water rate initial female literacy rate initial government consumption initial income distribution initial proportion economy devoted agriculture although factors important reducing stunting past may necessarily ones important future results suggest possible substantial progress made reducing current high prevalence stunting investing longterm development specific interventions