Tobacco use, major cause of child stunting globally — WHO

Recent research from the World Health Organization shows that tobacco use, which has long been associated with tuberculosis and cancer, is also a major cause of child stunting, a condition that impairs growth and development and affects over 150 million children globally.

Of the 148 million stunted children recorded in 2022, 52 per cent lived in Asia and 43 per cent in Africa. Stunting is associated with higher rates of childhood illness and mortality, making it one of the most pressing global health concerns.

The WHO’s recently published report, the eleventh in its series of tobacco knowledge summaries, emphasizes the harm that tobacco use does to a child’s development and urges governments to strengthen tobacco control laws to safeguard children, especially during pregnancy.

Director of the Department of Health Determinants, Promotion, and Prevention at WHO, Dr Etienne Krug, in a reaction, said, “Stunting robs children of their right to grow, learn, and thrive. Children with parents who smoke face a higher risk of stunting.”

Children are said to be stunted if their height for age is more than two standard deviations below the WHO Child Growth Standards. This is sometimes brought on by inadequate nutrition, recurrent illnesses, or a lack of stimulation.

According to the findings, mother smoking during pregnancy is highly associated with preterm births, low birth weights, and reduced foetal growth—all of which are indicators of stunting by the time the child is two years old.

It declared, “Tobacco smoke contains thousands of toxic chemicals that harm fetal and child development. Exposure during pregnancy contributes to growth restriction, congenital anomalies, and later chronic diseases. Second-hand smoke after birth worsens respiratory infections and developmental problems, further raising the risk of stunting.”

WHO also stressed that quitting smoking during pregnancy can significantly improve child growth outcomes.

According to the report, countries should fully implement the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) and its MPOWER initiatives, which include banning smoking in public places, protecting children and pregnant women from secondhand smoke, and expanding access to cessation services.

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