Ann C. Miller|Megan Murray|Dana R. Thomson|Mary Catherine Arbour
How consistent are associations between stunting and child development? Evidence from a meta-analysis of associations between stunting and multidimensional child development in fifteen low- and middle-income countries
Harvard Global Health Institute|Harvard University|Harvard Global Health Institute|Harvard University|Harvard Global Health Institute|Harvard University|University of Rwanda|Brigham and Women's Hospital|Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center
despite documented associations stunting cognitive development populationlevel studies measured indicators individual children assessed stuntings associations developmental domainsmetaanalysis using publicly available data fifteen multiple indicator cluster surveys mics4 assess association stunting development controlling maternal education family wealth books home developmentally supportive parenting sex child stratified country prevalence breastfeeding low bf90 high bf 90 tenitem early childhood development index ecdi scores assessed physical learning literacynumeracy socioemotional developmental domains children track three four domains considered ontrack overallfifteen low middleincome countriespublically available data 58 513 children aged 3659 monthssevere stunting heightforage zscore 3 negatively associated ontrack development or075 95 ci 067 083 stunting zscore 2 negatively associated ontrack development countries high bf prevalence or082 95 ci 075 089 severe stunting negatively associated physical development or077 95 ci 066 089 or082 95 ci 074 091 respectively literacynumeracy development high bf countries or045 95 ci 038 053 or059 95 ci 051 068 respectively low bf countries or093 95 ci 070 123 or095 95 ci 079 112 respectively stunting negatively associated learning or079 95 ci 072 088 clear association stunting socioemotional developmentstunting associated many developmental domains across diversity countries cultures however associations varied country breastfeeding prevalence developmental domain