Transition between stunted and nonstunted status: both occur from birth to 15 years of age in Malawi children

Aim The timing and frequency of stunting and possible catch-up growth are ambiguous in low-income settings. This study explored the timing and extent of becoming stunted and nonstunted between birth and 15 years of age in a resource-poor area of Malawi, south-east Africa. Methods We followed 767 children from the foetal period until 15 years of age and examined the transition between stunted and nonstunted status and the pubertal stage at 15 years of age. We also plotted smoothed curves for the mean absolute deficits in centimetres and height-for-age standard deviation scores (HAZ) according to the World Health Organization's 2006 and 2007 references. Results Most two-year olds (80%) were stunted (HAZ