Understanding the Complexities of Child Growth: A Review of Factors Impacting Child Stunting in Guatemala and Their Global Applicability captures the vast amount of work within Guatemala on the causal factors to child stunting. Stunting is a critical indicator, and arguably the most important indicator, in assessing the level of chronic health issues within a region or country. Guatemala is currently ranked the fifth worst country in the world by stunting rates of children under five, and it is rated the worst in the western hemisphere. The lessons learned from Guatemala can help further research in Latin America and throughout the world.

As the first book to aggregate all available literature on the issue of child stunting in Guatemala, it covers all major hypotheses currently under consideration. Beginning with basic insights and background on the issues of child stunting, the book then flows from general public health perspective to specific cultural or microbiological mechanistic analysis.

This book highlights strong and weak distributions of evidence within each topic and provides suggestions for pathways forward. Topics covered include water, sanitation and hygiene, prenatal health, nutrition, mycotoxins, physical and psychological abuse, private sector interaction, research, programs and policies.

It is essential reading for researchers, policymakers, development workers, and advanced students in nutrition, agriculture, economics, political science social sciences.

• Provides the first comprehensive overview of the multiple causal factors of child stunting, highlighting global applications of results from Guatemala
• Offers suggestions on ways for research to expand
• Enhances current understanding of child stunting in Guatemala and around the world