KATHMANDU: The cases of stunted growth in children below five years of age are yet to be brought to the normal, shows a recent report of Nepal Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS).

According to the report, girls are more vulnerable to the problem. Nearly 44.4 and 41.3 per cent of stunted growth cases were diagnosed in girls and boys respectively. Stunted growth, or height-for-age of children below the age of five, is a gauge of chronic malnutrition.

Compared to a reference population of well-nourished and healthy children, their stunted counterparts are too short for their age.

Quoting health experts, the NDHS report blamed lack of breastfeeding and undernutrition and malnutrition for the problem. The children whose birth weight is less than 2.5 kilograms or those reported to be 'very small' or 'smaller than the average' are considered to have higher risk of early childhood death.

A child's birth weight is important indicator of his/her vulnerability to the risk of childhood illness and the chances

of survival.

Stunted growth develops over a long period of time as a result of inadequate nutrition or frequent infections, or both.

The Tarai region has lower rate of stunted growth compared to the mountainous or the hilly regions.

Central Bureau of Statistics reported that 11.5 percent of boys and 11.9 percent of girls are underweight for their age.

The survey, however, shows the cases of stunted grwoth have slipped down slightly as compared to the past years.