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The association between early childhood stunting and weight status in late adolescence

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Abstract

Background:

Cross-sectional studies have shown associations between stunting and overweight; however, there are few prospective studies of stunted children.

Objectives:

To determine whether stunting before age 2 years is associated with overweight and central adiposity at 17–18 years and whether growth in height among stunted children predicts body mass index (BMI) in late adolescence.

Design:

Prospective cohort study.

Participants:

One-hundred and three participants stunted by age 2 years and 64 non-stunted participants (78% of participants enrolled in childhood). Participants were measured in early childhood and at ages 7, 11 and 17 years.

Results:

Stunted subjects remained shorter and had lower BMIs, smaller skinfolds and circumferences than non-stunted subjects. Overweight (BMI ⩾25 m2) was not significantly different among stunted and non-stunted male subjects (5.2 and 12.5%) but non-stunted female subjects were more likely to be overweight than those who experienced early childhood stunting (11.1 and 34.4%, P=0.013). Centralization of fat (waist to hip ratio (WHR), subscapular/triceps skinfold ratio (SSF/TSF)) did not differ between stunted and non-stunted groups (mean WHR 0.77 and mean SSF/TSF 1.18 in both groups). Stunted subjects with greater increases in height-for-age for the intervals 3–7 and 7–11 years had higher BMI at age 17 years (P=0.04 and P=0.001, respectively).

Conclusion:

Participants stunted by age 2 years were less likely to be overweight than those who were never stunted. This suggests that cross-sectional studies of the association between stunting and overweight may be misleading. Among stunted children, greater linear growth during mid- to late childhood was associated with greater BMI at age 17 years.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Amika Wright for conducting the measurements. The study was supported by a grant from the Wellcome Trust (066088).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Epidemiology Research Unit, Tropical Medicine Research Institute, The University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica

    S P Walker, S M Chang & C A Powell

Authors
  1. S P Walker
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  2. S M Chang
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  3. C A Powell
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Correspondence to S P Walker.

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Walker, S., Chang, S. & Powell, C. The association between early childhood stunting and weight status in late adolescence. Int J Obes 31, 347–352 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0803383

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