Growth Trajectories among Toddlers in Rural Cambodia; Increased Risk for Severe Stunting in Poorer Communities

Abstract

Objectives: Previous studies of a Cambodian birth cohort showed significant differences in birth weight, ponderal index and head circumference between newborns from two rural communities. The differences were associated with maternal anthropometrics and socioeconomic background, and the smallest babies were born to the mothers from the poorest communities. To see if the differences persisted postnatally, we followed the birth cohort for 18 months to investigate the children’s physical growth and cognitive development.