Understanding Faltering Growth and Its Broader Impacts

This booklet provides an in-depth look at faltering growth (FG), a condition marked by a measurable reduction in weight-for-age over time, often signaling underlying health, psychosocial, or environmental factors. It explores disease-related causes such as decreased nutritional intake, increased requirements, or excessive losses, alongside non-disease-related influences. Chronic illnesses including congenital heart disease, chronic lung disease, and inflammatory bowel disease are discussed as common contributors, with special attention to hospitalized children and those in pediatric intensive care who are at higher risk of malnutrition.

The resource also outlines both the short-term consequences, such as impaired immune function and higher infection susceptibility, and the long-term effects, including reduced cognitive development and increased obesity risk. Additionally, it addresses the significant healthcare burden posed by FG, linking prolonged hospital stays and elevated costs to undernutrition.

Why This Matters to You as Healthcare Professionals

By engaging with this resource, you will learn to:

• Identify the root causes of faltering growth through thorough screening, assessment, and diagnosis.

• Apply evidence-based nutritional strategies to optimize energy, protein, and micronutrient intake.

• Incorporate prebiotics and long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids to support immune and cognitive function.

• Recognize the value of a multidisciplinary approach in management.

• Explore current international guidelines and areas where further research is needed to improve outcomes, particularly in underserved populations.

Download the Full Booklet

Download the “Nutrition essentials: Faltering growth” booklet to access detailed clinical insights, practical nutritional recommendations, and real-world perspectives on managing this condition effectively. The complete resource contains further data, case examples, and guideline-based strategies to help you support improved growth outcomes in your patients.