Major studies in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition have revealed that despite limited progress overall, some regions of the country showed significant gains in reducing childhood stunting between 2011 and 2018. According to the National Nutrition Survey 2018, 40.2 per cent of children under five in Pakistan were stunted—one of the highest rates in South Asia, exceeded only by Afghanistan. Prof Bhutta, who leads child health and development initiatives at the Institute for Global Health and Development at Aga Khan University and the Centre for Global Child Health in Toronto (Canada), emphasised that stunting was not merely a biological problem but a manifestation of deep-rooted inequities and social deprivation. “Our research reaffirms that improving child growth outcomes requires more than mere food or dietary supplements—it demands action on multiple fronts including maternal education and empowerment, clean water, adequate quality antenatal care, and poverty reduction,” he said.