Quantifying child growth effects using height-age instead of height-for-age z-scores in a meta-analysis of small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplement trials.

ABSTRACT: Height-age is the age at which growth-faltered children's average observed height or length equals the median height or length of a child growth standard, corresponding to a length-for-age z-score (LAZ) of 0. In randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), expression of linear growth outcomes using height-age may enhance the interpretability of intervention effects compared to conventional use of LAZ. Height-age can be used to derive the proportion of maximal benefit (PMB), whereby PMB = 0% indicates no effect and PMB = 100% indicates the intervention promoted growth at the rate expected for healthy children with the same starting height-age. In this proof-of-concept study, height-age and PMB were compared to LAZ in a meta-analysis of RCTs of small-quant

SUBMITTER: Watson KM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12546833 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature