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For children experiencing undernutrition, gaining weight during their initial ten years of life may result in significantly taller adults—without an additional risk of obesity or hypertension in later stages of life, according to a recent study from the University of Michigan.

The results, released in JAMA Network Open this month, are crucial for children suffering from undernutrition, presenting a chance to positively influence their long-term well-being and growth, especially in undernourished environments.

“Earlier studies indicated that initiatives targeting undernutrition in children after the age of 2 might not yield positive results. The apprehension was that weight gain during childhood could lead to increased blood pressure and obesity in adulthood,” noted lead author Beverly Strassmann, a professor of anthropology at U-M and faculty associate at the Institute for Social Research.

“This earlier guidance overlooked the significance of weight gain in enabling children to realize their maximum height potential as adults. Taller women have a reduced likelihood of dying during childbirth, making it essential to consider the relationship between childhood nutrition and adult height.”

The investigation explored whether weight gain in childhood would have a beneficial effect on adult height and whether it would also correlate with a heightened risk of obesity and hypertension in adulthood.

“Our results are notable as they demonstrate that enhanced growth from ages 1 to 10 years resulted in taller adults, while the associated risk of obesity and hypertension remained minimal,” Strassmann stated.

Her research team monitored 1,348 participants with ongoing follow-ups for 21 years in central Mali. The outcomes suggest that weight gain between the ages of 1 and 10 was significantly linked to increases in adult height for both females and males by the age of 21.

According to Strassmann, the study utilized a longitudinal approach, allowing them to track children from an average age of 1.6 years to 21 years, which is “uncommon for low-income nations in Africa.”

“Our research is distinctive as it examined not just the dangers of childhood weight gain concerning elevated blood pressure and BMI in adulthood but also the advantages of greater adult stature,” she explained. “The health benefits of being taller are hard to overstate in a population affected by undernutrition. For instance, taller women are known to have a lower risk of dying during childbirth.”

This research challenged the prevalent belief that nutritional interventions should cease for children after age 2.

“Not all children receive necessary support during the first 1,000 days of life, the period from conception to age 2 years,” Strassmann remarked.

The findings indicate that in environments of undernutrition, weight gain beyond age 2 can facilitate growth in height, leading to taller adults who do not suffer from obesity or hypertension. Policy for undernourished populations must recognize the critical importance of addressing undernutrition throughout childhood, Strassmann concluded.

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