Annang Giri Moelyo, MD, has triumphed in his doctoral journey at the UGM Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing, showcasing the pivotal role of Indonesia’s national growth curve in precisely assessing the impact of early childhood stunting on cognitive function in adolescents and young adults.
This revelation unfolded during the public examination of Dr. Moelyo’s doctoral program on Tuesday (Dec. 12).
His comprehensive research, encapsulated in a dissertation titled “Comparison of Indonesia’s National Growth Curve and WHO Curve in Assessing Linear Growth and Stunting as Predictors of Cognitive Function in Adolescents and Young Adults in Indonesia,” sheds light on the nuanced relationship between growth patterns and cognitive development.
Dr. Moelyo underscored that his research stems from compelling evidence illustrating variations in the correlation between linear growth during childhood and cognitive function in adolescence.
The Height-for-Age z-Score (HAZ) curve for Indonesian children diverges from the WHO growth curve, influenced by distinct genetic factors and socioeconomic conditions inherent to Indonesia.
“The adoption of region-specific or national growth curves holds the promise of heightened sensitivity in recognizing the intricate connection between linear growth or childhood stunting and cognitive function in subsequent years,” said the Head of the Pediatric Health Sciences Specialist Program at Sebelas Maret University (UNS).
The essence of Dr. Moelyo’s research lies in the meticulous comparison of Indonesia’s national growth curve with the WHO curve, particularly in delineating the ramifications of linear growth and childhood stunting on cognitive function in adolescents and young adults.
Leveraging longitudinal data drawn from 1488 Indonesian children from IFLS 1993, Dr. Moelyo meticulously evaluated linear growth and childhood stunting between the ages of 2-5 using the Indonesian and WHO curves.
The research subjects, encompassing adolescents and young adults, numbered 1,121 and 796 individuals, respectively.
The results underscored that the application of Indonesia’s national growth curve significantly refines the assessment of how early childhood stunting influences cognitive function in subsequent life stages.
“The utilization of Indonesia’s national growth curve vividly illustrates the impact of a child’s linear growth on their cognitive function in adolescence,” he said.
“Moreover, educational factors wield a more substantial influence on the cognitive function of adolescents and young adults than the impact of a child’s linear growth.”
Author: Ika