Stunted growth: Causes, treatment, prevention
MANILA, Philippines — Have you ever wonder why your child is undersized in his/her age and thought that he or she might have just inherited his or her height from you? That’s the most common misconception of parents today. Little did they know, their child is suffering a stunted growth.
The World Health Organization defines stunting as “the impaired growth and development that children experience.” It affects all social economic classes and is driven by recurrent infections and a lack in essential nutrients for growth.
Sanja Kolacek, professor of Paediatrics, consultant in Paediatrics Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition at the Children’s Hospital in Zagreb, Croatia, recently revealed in her presentation at the Abbott PediaSure Plus press conference that genetically predetermined growth is just a small percentage.
“Stunted growth is the best marker of chronic under nutrition. So being small does not mean you inherited it from your parents. It is the consequence of many generations not being nourished in a proper way,” Kolacek said.
But it can be treated right away as a clinical study recently published in the Journal of Nutritional Science and the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics showed that nutritionally, at-risk children were able to achieve their normal growth in weight in as fast as eight weeks after taking oral nutritional supplement daily plus dietary counseling.
The published manuscript titled "Longtudinal Growth and Health Outcomes in Nutritionally At-Risk Children Who Received Long-Tem Nutritional Intervention" involved a 48-week nutrition trial for 199 Filipinos children aged 3 to 4 who were at-risk of undernutrition.
Twice daily, the children were given an oral nutritional supplement to meet their daily-recommended micronutrient intake level. At the same time, their parents were given nutritional counseling on food groups, appropriate portion sizes, limiting high-sugar foods and providing a positive eating atmosphere.
This clinical study was approved by the Institutional Review Board and the Food and Drug Administration of the Philippines.
Kolacek said that the best way to manage stunted growth is not to treat it, but to prevent it with appropriate nutrition.
“The first five years of a child’s life set the foundation for a lifetime of healthy growth. This is why it’s important to focus on proper nutrition and nutrition education during these early years to promote healthy growth and prevent stunting,” Kolacek said.
Unilab recently launched UHP SuperGrow and PowerCeez. UHP SuperGrow is a Marvel-themed supplement syrup that is formulated to address potential diet gaps among kids aged 4 to 12 years old with vitamins and minerals they need for their growing age.
PowerCeez, meanwhile, is a Marvel-themed supplement syrup that is formulated to boost the immune system and protects kids aged 4 to 12 years old from illnesses. It has Vitamin C and Zinc that work in synergy to support child's immunity and maintain their healthy development.
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