Dear Kumar,

there should be an association between fish consumption and nutritional status of adolescents; but I do not know any study about that, this is only my opinion

Dear Kumar,

Theoretically yes, having in mind fact, that poor dietary quality is connected with stunting. However, it's hard to find clear one-dimensional relationship between fish products and prevalence of stunting (there are too many co-occurring risk factors and possibly to check this problem, a large sample is needed).  More studies concern on general poor nutritional status/malnutrition and specific dietary factors rather than only stunting.

A paper on dietary patterns and stunting in Iran children : https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3702341/

Thank you Dr. Jakub Morze. 

Fish has omega 3 fatty acids which are good for health. so doctors advice to take more sea foods rather than chicken and mutton. But any literature related to your question i don't know.

A cordial greeting. The question is interesting since it correlates anthropometric variables in the life time. Consider that size has a strong genetic determinism linked to the family component, without discounting the need for adequate food for the development of the person's growth potential, not to avoid the influence of physical exercise on the bone matrix, and that within the stages of human growth, are sensitive phases of development, particularly in childhood and adolescence. The interesting thing would be to introduce a particular diet (fish consumption) in such sensitive phases and to determine results. On the other hand, improving the nutritional status and its reflection in the body structure requires a diet that covers the energetic and substantial needs of the individual, and at the same time avoid hidden hunger.

Thanks Dr. Ricardo Arencibia .

Mr Kumar

nutritious diet is key to children's growth and fish is a good protein source for a growing child in a community where other protein source are insufficient. However if the child is already stunted early in life am not sure if providing protein in later childhood would reverse the process of stunting. that is opinion 

Thanking you Dr. Lhamo.

Obviously stunted children ingest inadequate diets. But stunting implies especially low growth and height. A second equally important cause of stunting includes chronic infectious disease, especially but not exclusively parasites and other micro-organisms. This often leads to chronic diarrhea. Inflammation/infection slows down growth, even when the diet would be adequate. Chronic intestinal infection ultimately leads to villus atrophy that, when longstanding, does not recover even when diets become adequate: tropical sprue. The recommendation therefore is to treat infection and to optimize the diet. It is unlikely that a diet containing liberal amounts of fish alone can prevent or treat stunting.

The incidence of stunting is related to overall protein and energy deficit in diets. Good quality proteins are essential for growth, fish protein has excellent quality, but it shall help in prevention of stunting only if the amount of protein eaten is adequate and if the other  nutrients including energy is adequate. In case of insufficient energy, protein gets utilized for energy, hence it shall not be available to promote growth. Childhood stunting may not be reversible, though a good diet will certainly help in secondary growth during adolescence.

Thanks Dr. Jamuna Prakash for your valuable suggestion on protein and energy adequacy of adolescents. 

Given the lack of studies, simple observation of  population groups that a lot of fish gives us a clue.  The answer is no.  However these groups do not consume refined carbohydrate as much as say pre teen and teenagers do in the United States.  Fish dose not have as much to do with height and weight as high dairy diets (calcium) and the over consumption of flour and sugar producing fat.

I am sorry for repeating my earlier comments. Stunting has two causes: insufficient or inadequate nutrient uptake, but also inflammation/infection. Even in clinical medicine children with active inflammatory disease (coeliac disease, Crohn'' disease, cystic fibrosis do not grow normally even when nutritional intake is adequate.

Thanks Peter.

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