Yunhee Kang|Víctor M. Aguayo|Rebecca K. Campbell|Keith P. West
Association between stunting and early childhood development among children aged 36–59 months in <scp>South Asia</scp>
Johns Hopkins University|United Nations Children's Fund|Johns Hopkins University|Johns Hopkins University
abstract stunting lengthforage z score lt 2 2 years age shown associations poor child developmental indicators information population level scarce south asia region highest burden stunting examined associations z scores ie height age haz weight age waz weight height whz undernutrition ie stunting haz lt 2 wasting whz lt 2 underweight waz lt 2 learningcognition socialemotional development among children 3659 months age data multiple indicator cluster surveys bangladesh n 8659 bhutan n 2038 nepal n 2253 pakistan punjab n 11369 sindh n 6718 used children considered developmentally ontrack learningcognition socialemotional domains met specific early child development criteria metaanalysis conducted examine regional associations adjusting socioeconomic status early childhood education quality care pooled sample ontrack learningcognition development positively associated haz 117 95 ci 107 127 waz 118 95 ci 107 131 negatively associated stunting 072 95 ci 060 086 underweight 075 95 ci 066 086 associated whz wasting ontrack development socialemotional domain associated z scores undernutrition indicators across several countries south asia stunted children less likely developmentally track learningcognition likely interventions prevent stunting may benefit child development leading significant individual societal gains given large burden child stunting regions like south asia