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BMC Pediatrics
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Open Access 01-12-2024 | Research

Linear growth beyond 24 months and child neurodevelopment in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Authors: Ravi Prakash Upadhyay, Barsha Gadapani Pathak, Shrish Vijaykumar Raut, Dilesh Kumar, Diksha Singh, Christopher R. Sudfeld, Tor A. Strand, Sunita Taneja, Nita Bhandari

Published in: BMC Pediatrics | Issue 1/2024

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Abstract

Aim

To synthesize available evidence on the association between change in linear growth (height for age z score, HAZ) beyond the first two years of life with later child neurodevelopment outcomes in Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Methods

We searched PubMed, Web of Science, and EMBASE for cohort studies on the association between change in HAZ after age two and neurodevelopment outcomes in middle or late childhood. Data extraction was done independently by two reviewers.

Results

A total of 21 studies, that included 64,562 children from 13 LMICs were identified. Each unit increase in change in HAZ above two years is associated with a + 0.01 increase (N = 8 studies, 27,393 children) in the cognitive scores at 3.5 to 12 years of age and a + 0.05-standard deviation (SD) increase (95% CI 0.02 to 0.08, N = 3 studies, 17,830 children) in the language score at 5 to 15 years of age. No significant association of change in HAZ with motor (standardized mean difference (SMD) 0.04; 95% CI: -0.10, 0.18, N = 1 study, 966 children) or socio-emotional scores (SMD 0.00; 95% CI: -0.02, 0.01, N = 4 studies, 14,616 participants) was observed.

Conclusion

Changes in HAZ after the first two years of life appear to have a small or no association with child neurodevelopment outcomes in LMICs.
Appendix
Available only for authorised users
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Metadata
Title
Linear growth beyond 24 months and child neurodevelopment in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors
Ravi Prakash Upadhyay
Barsha Gadapani Pathak
Shrish Vijaykumar Raut
Dilesh Kumar
Diksha Singh
Christopher R. Sudfeld
Tor A. Strand
Sunita Taneja
Nita Bhandari
Publication date
01-12-2024
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Pediatrics / Issue 1/2024
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2431
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-023-04521-0

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