The decline of child stunting in 122 countries: a systematic review of child growth studies since the 19th century
The global child stunting rate was substantially higher in the early 20th century than in 1985, and the reduction of child stunting was a central feature of the health transition. The high stunting rates and subsequent reduction of stunting in HICs suggest that current HICs provide lessons for eradicating child stunting and that all LMICs can eliminate stunting.
Authors
- Elizabeth Brainerd (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2820-2136)
- Renato Pistola (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1422-9012)
- Evan Roberts (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5621-4823)
- Ricardo D. Salvatore (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4868-5291)
- Jose Corpuz
- Michał Kopczyński (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9529-6235)
- Sakari Saaritsa (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3726-2234)
- Matthias Blum (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4129-9873)
- Stephen L. Morgan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9455-9339)
- Gregori Galofré‐Vilà
- Joseph J. Capuno (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3879-9551)
- Federico Droller
- Samuel Lordemus
- Pierre van der Eng (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2835-3193)
- Joël Floris (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8480-6495)
- J.Y. Kok
- Vellore Arthi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6565-6655)
- Kaspar Staub (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3951-1807)
- Brian Marein (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4001-7045)
- Tim Cole
- Laurent Heyberger
- Ewout Depauw
- Tuuli Hurme
- Matthew Purcell
- Björn Quanjer
- Helena Rother
- José Antonio Ortega (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0315-1747)
- Kota Ogasawara (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7744-2988)
- B. D. Harris
- Tim Hatton
- Young-Jun Cho
- Dieter von Fintel
- Adolfo Meisel-Roca
- Nuno Palma
- Amílcar Eduardo Challú
- Kris Inwood
- Brian A’Hearn
- Juliana Jaramillo Echeverri
- Hanaliis Jaadla
- Alexandra Lopez Cermeño
- Eric B Schneider
- Stefan Öberg
- Anastasios Papadimitriou
Institutions
- Universidad de Santiago de Chile (CL)
- University of Essex (GB)
- Tokyo Institute of Technology (JP)
- Australian National University (AU)
- University of Minnesota (US)
- Banco de la República Colombia (CO)
- University of Helsinki (FI)
- Seoul National University (KR)
- University of Lisbon (PT)
- University of Nottingham (GB)
- Universidad del Norte (CO)
- Radboud University Nijmegen (NL)
- Bowling Green State University (US)
- Universitat de València (ES)
- University of Lucerne (CH)
- University of Strathclyde (GB)
- Universidad de Salamanca (ES)
- Lund University (SE)
- National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (GR)
- University of Zurich (CH)
- University of California, Irvine (US)
- Universidad Torcuato Di Tella (AR)
- University of Cambridge (GB)
- Stellenbosch University (ZA)
- German Medical Association (DE)
- Ghent University Hospital (BE)
- University of Manchester (GB)
- Université de technologie de belfort-montbéliard (FR)
- University of Warwick (GB)
- University of Oxford (GB)
- Twin Cities Orthopedics (US)
- Lusíada University of Lisbon (PT)
- International Copper Association (US)
- Centre for Economic Policy Research (GB)
- University College London (GB)
- University of Warsaw (PL)
- Wake Forest University (US)
- Brandeis University (US)
- University of Guelph (CA)
- University of the Philippines Diliman (PH)
- London School of Economics and Political Science (GB)
Publication Details
- Journal
- BMJ Global Health
- Published
- 2026-02-01
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2024-018607
- Citations
- 1
- Primary Topic
- Child Nutrition and Water Access
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 32.31
Funders
- London School of Economics and Political Science