Height of nations: a socioeconomic analysis of cohort differences and patterns among women in 54 low- to middle-income countries

Abstract

Background: Adult height is a useful biological measure of long term population health and well being. We examined the cohort differences and socioeconomic patterning in adult height in low- to middle-income countries.

Methods/findings: We analyzed cross-sectional, representative samples of 364,538 women aged 25-49 years drawn from 54 Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) conducted between 1994 and 2008. Linear multilevel regression models included year of birth, household wealth, education, and area of residence, and accounted for clustering by primary sampling units and countries. Attained height was measured using an adjustable measuring board. A yearly change in birth cohorts starting with those born in 1945 was associated with a 0.0138 cm (95% CI 0.0107, 0.0169) increase in height. Increases in heights in more recent birth year cohorts were largely concentrated in women from the richer wealth quintiles. 35 of the 54 countries experienced a decline (14) or stagnation (21) in height. The decline in heights was largely concentrated among the poorest wealth quintiles. There was a strong positive association between height and household wealth; those in two richest quintiles of household wealth were 1.988 cm (95% CI 1.886, 2.090) and 1.018 cm (95% CI 0.916, 1.120) taller, compared to those in the poorest wealth quintile. The strength of the association between wealth and height was positive (0.05 to 1.16) in 96% (52/54) countries.

Conclusions: Socioeconomic inequalities in height remain persistent. Height has stagnated or declined over the last decades in low- to middle-income countries, particularly in Africa, suggesting worsening nutritional and environmental circumstances during childhood.

Figure 1. Country-level scatter plot between mean height (y axis) and gap in height between the richest and poorest wealth quintile (x axis) among adult women.

Figure 2. Predicted association between height and year of birth across wealth quintiles among adult women.

Figure 3. Percent of variation in height attributable to the individual and context (primary sampling units (PSU) and country) before and after accounting for the distribution of individual characteristics among adult women.