Why stunting happens in children and what we can do about it episode artwork

EPISODE · Aug 16, 2025 · 38 MIN

Why stunting happens in children and what we can do about it

from In Focus by The Hindu · host The Hindu

We often assume a child’s height is all about genetics. But for millions of children in India, being shorter than average has nothing to do with family traits. It is the result of stunting — a chronic indicator of malnutrition, where a child has a low height for their age due to not getting the nutrition and care they need in the most critical early years of life.This episode explores what stunting really is, why it happens, and the critical windows when intervention can make the biggest difference. Guest: Dr. Vandana Prasad, a community paediatrician and former member of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights. Host: Devyanshi Bihani Edited and produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We often assume a child’s height is all about genetics. But for millions of children in India, being shorter than average has nothing to do with family traits. It is the result of stunting — a chronic indicator of malnutrition, where a child has a low height for their age due to not getting the nutrition and care they need in the most critical early years of life.This episode explores what stunting really is, why it happens, and the critical windows when intervention can make the biggest difference. Guest: Dr. Vandana Prasad, a community paediatrician and former member of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights. Host: Devyanshi Bihani Edited and produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Why stunting happens in children and what we can do about it

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This episode was published on August 16, 2025.

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We often assume a child’s height is all about genetics. But for millions of children in India, being shorter than average has nothing to do with family traits. It is the result of stunting — a chronic indicator of malnutrition, where a child has a...

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