Insights into childhood stunting from South African research.

Childhood stunting is a major public health problem in South Africa. 
PhD student Sanja Nel, affiliated with our Research Centre, showed that being born preterm and small-for-gestational age (SGA) significantly increases the likelihood of stunting, underweight and wasting at one year of age in data from the KMC unit at Kalafong Hospital. 
Birth weight (relative to gestational age) and early weight gain were the most important predictors of malnutrition at one year. 
Interventions to end stunting have to start in pregnancy, supporting optimal fetal growth and preventing preterm and SGA births.

Read the full article: One-year anthropometric follow-up of South African preterm infants in kangaroo mother care: Which early-life factors predict malnutrition? doi: 10.1111/tmi.13973