The timing of growth faltering has important implications for observational analyses of the underlying determinants of nutrition outcomes.

Previous observational analyses appear to substantially underestimate the protective impacts of a wide range of underlying determinants on stunting. Conversely, wasting rates are typically low for children 24-59 months, implying that associations between underlying conditions and wasting may be stronger for children 0-23 months of age. Such analyses should pay closer attention to age disaggregation; researchers should be aware of the age effect reported in the current study and present analysis stratified by age.