Ann Arbor Times

In a recent study by the University of Michigan, researchers have found that weight gain in children with undernutrition during their first decade can result in significantly taller adults without increasing the risk of obesity or high blood pressure later in life. The findings were published in JAMA Network Open and offer important insights for improving long-term health outcomes for children facing undernutrition.

Beverly Strassmann, lead author and U-M professor of anthropology, stated, “Previous research suggested that interventions to reduce undernutrition in children after age 2 might not be beneficial. The concern was that weight gain in childhood might lead to higher blood pressure and obesity in adulthood.” She emphasized the importance of weight gain for achieving full height potential as adults, noting that "taller women are less likely to die in childbirth."

The study explored whether childhood weight gain would positively impact adult height without increasing risks of obesity and high blood pressure. Strassmann highlighted, “Our findings are significant because they show that improved growth from age 1 to 10 years led to taller stature in adulthood and the increased risk for obesity and hypertension was negligible.”

The research team followed 1,348 participants over 21 years in central Mali. Results showed a significant association between weight gain from ages 1 to 10 and adult stature gains by age 21 for both genders. Strassmann pointed out the rarity of such longitudinal studies in low-income African countries.

“Our study is unique in that we considered not only the risks of childhood weight gain for higher blood pressure and BMI in adulthood but also the benefits for increased adult stature,” she said. The study challenges previous views on nutritional interventions stopping at age 2.

Strassmann noted, “Not all children are reached in the first 1,000 days of life, which is the time from conception to age 2 years.” The findings suggest that policy changes are needed to address undernutrition throughout childhood, supporting growth without leading to obesity or hypertension.