Stunting and Physical Fitness. The Peruvian Health and Optimist Growth Study
Open Access
- 15 May 2020
- journal article
- research article
- Published by MDPI AG in International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
- Vol. 17 (10), 3440
- https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17103440
Abstract
Stunting, defined as linear growth retardation, is a serious public health problem in developing countries. We aimed to (1) describe the prevalence of stunting in Peruvian youth living in three geographical regions, and to (2) determine height and physical fitness (PF) differences between stunted and normal-growth children across age and sex. We sampled 7918 subjects (7074 normal-growth and 844 stunted), aged 6–15 year, from sea-level, Amazon and high-altitude regions of Peru. PF was assessed with standardized tests, and stunting was computed following World Health Organization (WHO) standards. A two-factor analysis of variance (ANOVA) model was used. Results showed that stunting prevalence increased with age (from 6% at 6 year to 18.4% at 15 year in girls, and 9.3% at 6 year to 16.4% at 15 year in boys); was higher in boys (12.3%) than in girls (9.3%), and was higher in the Amazon region (25.3%), followed by high-altitude (24.3%) and sea-level (8.1%). Stunting had a negative overall impact on girls’ and boys’ statures. Further, the age-by-stunting interactions were statistically significant for both sexes, and significant differences in height varied to some degree across age. Stunted children performed worse in handgrip and standing long jump, but outperformed their normal-growth peers in shuttle-run (only boys), and in 12 min run. Further, significant differences in the age-by-stunting interaction occurred in all PF tests, varying to some degree across age. In conclusion, stunting significantly affects Peruvian youth’s PF levels, and this influence is sex-, age- and PF test-specific.Funding Information
- Foundation for Science and Technology (SFRH/BD/141112/2018)
This publication has 29 references indexed in Scilit:
- Long‐term consequences of stunting in early lifeMaternal & Child Nutrition, 2011
- Analysing Success in the Fight against Malnutrition in PeruIDS Working Papers, 2011
- Physical fitness of normal, stunted and overweight children 6–13 years in Oaxaca, MexicoEuropean Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2011
- Micronutrient and anthropometric status indicators are associated with physical fitness in Colombian schoolchildrenBritish Journal of Nutrition, 2011
- Physical fitness in childhood and adolescence: a powerful marker of healthInternational Journal of Obesity, 2007
- Development of a WHO growth reference for school-aged children and adolescentsBulletin of the World Health Organization, 2007
- Boys are more stunted than girls in Sub-Saharan Africa: a meta-analysis of 16 demographic and health surveysBMC Pediatrics, 2007
- BRAC initiative towards promoting gender and social equity in health: a longitudinal study of child growth in Matlab, BangladeshPublic Health Nutrition, 2004
- The Relationship Between Physical Fitness and Physical Activity During Adolescence and Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors at Adult Age. The Amsterdam Growth and Health Longitudinal StudyInternational Journal of Sports Medicine, 2002
- Growth as a Mirror of the Condition of Society: Secular Trends and Class DistinctionsPediatrics International, 1987