New research at Harvard’s Chan School of Public Health shows that the biggest factor determining whether a child is stunted may be his mother’s diet during pregnancy. So it’s just as important to make sure a child is nourished before birth as it is in their first years of life.
Other contributing factors include childhood malnutrition, lack of sanitation, and infectious diseases.
Globally, one-third of children under age 5 are stunted, which limits their long-term physical and cognitive development. U.N. member states have pledged to reduce the global rate of stunting by 40 percent by 2030.
Photo©2014 World Vision, Eugene Lee
