Impact of micronutrient deficiencies on growth: the stunting syndrome.

Stunting is a process that can affect the development of a child from the early stages of conception and until the third or fourth year of life, when the nutrition of the mother and the child are essential determinants of growth. Failure to meet micronutrient requirements, a challenging environment and the inadequate provision of care, are all factors responsible for this condition that affects almost 200 million children under 5 years of age. The timing and duration of the nutritional insult leads to different physiological consequences.