Post‐infant linear growth is associated with cognitive achievement of 8y‐olds in Ethiopia, India, Peru and Vietnam

Abstract

Resource allocations for nutrition programs are often based on the assumption that opportunities for long‐term physical and cognitive development close after 2 y. However, cognitive deficits from linear growth failure may be reversible. We used data from Young Lives which includes ~8000 children at 1, 5 and 8 y of age in Ethiopia, India, Peru and Vietnam. We used regression analysis to examine associations between post‐infancy improvement in height not predicted by prior length (unpredicted growth) and cognitive achievement at 8 y. HAZ at 1 y was associated with higher cognitive achievement for all 4 countries and with schooling outcomes (except preschool attendance in Vietnam). In adjusted models, unpredicted change in HAZ from 1 to 8 y was significantly associated with higher scores on standardized tests of math in Ethiopia and India (coefficients of .504 and .509, respectively) and vocabulary (in Ethiopia, India and Peru, 3.079, 2.020, .930, respectively) and appropriate age for grade (.821, .848, .834 and .812 in Ethiopia, India, Peru and Vietnam). We believe this to be the first study to examine the relationship between post‐infancy unpredicted growth and medium‐term child development outcomes. Our results reinforce the gains from addressing nutritional insults not only during infancy but throughout childhood.