Relative importance of prenatal and postnatal determinants of stunting: data mining approaches to the MINIMat cohort, Bangladesh

What is it about?

Stunting, defined as a low height relative to the child’s age compared to optimal growth, is the most prevalent manifestation of child undernutrition and reflects long-term exposure to undernutrition, infectious diseases or inappropriate child care. In 2012 the World Health Assembly (WHA) adopted a resolution to reduce stunting by 40% by the year 2025 and to reduce stunting is one of the targets under the second Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) to end hunger and improve nutrition. To reach these goals, and to develop and deliver appropriate interventions, it is important to understand the dynamics and determinants of stunted growth. This study used data mining methods to identify the most critical pre- and postnatal determinants of linear growth 0–24 months and the risk factors for stunting at two years, and to identify subgroups with different risk of stunting at two years. The most important risk factors for stunting at 24 months were prenatal factors including birth size, the mother’s height and weight, and the parents education level. Conditions after birth, such as feeding practices and child morbidity, were less important. The results of this study, together with findings from recent reviews, motivate a change in policy and practice, emphasizing the benefit of interventions before conception and during pregnancy to reach a substantial reduction in stunting.

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