Early cardiovascular changes in 10- to 15-year-old stunted children: the Transition and Health during Urbanization in South Africa in Children study

Objective Early changes in vascular function could be associated with stunting, which may contribute to the development of cardiovascular diseases in later life. In this study we tested the hypothesis that stunting may be related to changes in cardiovascular function in African children ages 10 to 15 y. Methods In the Transition and Health during Urbanization in South Africa in Children study, the health status of children in the North-West Province of South Africa was studied. It was an epidemiologic, cross-sectional study in which 583 black non-stunted and 192 stunted children (stature below the fifth percentile for age) of both sexes ages 10 to 15 y were recruited from 44 schools. Blood pressure was monitored with the Finapres (finger-arterial pressure) apparatus and by means of the Fast Modelflo software program; measurements for systolic and diastolic blood pressure, mean arterial pressure, pulse pressure, heart rate, cardiac output, stroke volume, total peripheral resistance, and arterial compliance were obtained. Dietary intake data were collected with a 24-h dietary recall questionnaire. Nutrient coding was the same for all recalls and macro- and micronutrients were calculated. Anthropometric measurements were done according to standard methods. Results There were no significant differences in systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure between stunted and non-stunted children after correction for body mass index and heart rate. Stroke volume, arterial compliance, and cardiac output were significantly lower and total peripheral resistance was significantly higher in stunted children than in non-stunted children. No significant differences in dietary intake could be detected, although dietary intakes were slightly lower in the stunted children. Conclusions We found that compliance, a marker of vascular function, is significantly lower in stunted children. Stunting was related to early changes in cardiovascular function in African children ages 10 to 15 y.