Barry Bogin1,2. 1. School of Sport, Exercise & Health Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough, UK. 2. UCSD/Salk Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny (CARTA), University of California San Diego, USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Stunting is defined by the public health community as a length- or height-for-age <-2 SD of a growth standard or reference and is claimed to be caused by poor nutrition, repeated infection, and inadequate psychosocial stimulation. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Stunting is common at all income levels in middle- and low-income countries. At the higher income levels, stunting is unlikely to be caused by nutrient deficiency or infectious disease. RESULTS: In Guatemala, 17% of <5-year-olds in the highest family income quintile are stunted. Guatemala has a history of violence from armed conflict, current-day social and economic inequalities, government corruption, and threat of kidnapping for the wealthiest families. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The high level of persistent violence creates an ecology of fear, an extreme range of inequalities in Social-Economic-Political-Emotional resources, and biosocial stress that inhibits skeletal growth and causes stunting for people of all income levels.
BACKGROUND: Stunting is defined by the public health community as a length- or height-for-age <-2 SD of a growth standard or reference and is claimed to be caused by poor nutrition, repeated infection, and inadequate psychosocial stimulation. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Stunting is common at all income levels in middle- and low-income countries. At the higher income levels, stunting is unlikely to be caused by nutrient deficiency or infectious disease. RESULTS: In Guatemala, 17% of <5-year-olds in the highest family income quintile are stunted. Guatemala has a history of violence from armed conflict, current-day social and economic inequalities, government corruption, and threat of kidnapping for the wealthiest families. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The high level of persistent violence creates an ecology of fear, an extreme range of inequalities in Social-Economic-Political-Emotional resources, and biosocial stress that inhibits skeletal growth and causes stunting for people of all income levels.
Authors: Astrid Arriaza; K Michael Hambidge; Nancy F Krebs; Ana Garcés; Andrew Amos Channon Journal: J Health Popul Nutr Date: 2022-09-15 Impact factor: 2.966