Tiina Teivaanmäki|Yin Bun Cheung|Anna Pulakka|Jussi Virkkala|Kenneth Maleta|Per Ashorn
Height gain after two?years?of?age is associated with better cognitive capacity, measured with Raven's coloured matrices at 15?years?of?age in Malawi
Tampere University|Helsinki University Hospital|Tampere University Hospital|National University of Singapore|University of Turku|Finnish Institute of Occupational Health|University of Malawi|Tampere University|Tampere University Hospital|Helsinki University Hospital
stunting measure chronic undernutrition affects approximately 160 million children worldwide cognitive development stunted children compromised evidence association height gain late childhood adolescent cognitive capacity scarce aimed determine association height gains different ages including late childhood cognitive capacity 15yearsofage conducted prospective cohort study rural african setting southern malawi study cohort enrolled june 1995 august 1996 originally comprised mothers 813 fetuses number children born live 767 children followed age 15 years anthropometrics measured one 24monthsofage 15yearsofage cognitive capacity participants assessed 15yearsofage ravens coloured matrices score mathematic test score median reaction time rt milliseconds rt lapses associations growth outcome measures assessed linear regression ravens coloured matrices score predicted height gain 24 months 15yearsofage coefficient 085 p 003 coefficient 069 p 006 earlier growth possible confounders included model association weakened school education added model coefficient 069 p 0060 conclusion rural malawi better growth late childhood likely lead better cognitive capacity adolescence partly school education light results growth promotion limited early childhood