title: Pattern of growth faltering and recovery in under 5 children in India using WHO growth standards--a study on First and Third National Family Health Survey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the pattern of growth faltering  in preschool children, using World Health Organization (WHO) growth standards 2006 from the available datasets of first and third National Family Health Survey (NFHS 1 and 3).
  
  
  METHODS
  Data-analysis of two large-scale cross-sectional surveys done at a gap of 15 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  General community.
  
  
  METHODS
  Preschool children included in NFHS 1 (n = 37,768) and NFHS 3 (n = 41,306).
  
  
  METHODS
  Weight for age Z-scores (WAZ), height for age Z scores (HAZ) and weight for height Z scores (WHZ) based on WHO growth standards for the first four years of life.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean WAZ score at 0 month during first and third surveys were -1.15 (n=268) and -0.76 (n=184), respectively. Of the total growth faltering in weight for age Z (WAZ) score by the end of third year, 55% and 44% of the growth faltering was already present at birth for the first and third survey, respectively. There was no change in weight for height Z (WHZ) score for the first three years during both the surveys.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A good part of the total growth faltering in India has already taken place at birth. Much of the growth faltering in early life can be attributed to faltering in HAZ scores or stunting.  Understanding the causal role of stunting and its prevention as well as improving birth weight appears to be the key for better efficacy of public health programs in preventing under-5 malnutrition in India.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Division, National Institute of Nutrition, Niloufer Hospital, Hyderabad, India. srishwan@gmail.com
authors.forename: Raja Sriswan
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Mamidi
authors.forename: Pallavi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Shidhaye
authors.forename: K V
authors.initials: KV
authors.lastname: Radhakrishna
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Babu
authors.forename: P Sudhershan
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Reddy
mesh_terms: D001827:Body Height; D001835:Body Weight; D001837:Body Weights and Measures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012016:Reference Values; D014944:World Health Organization