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Why does it matter? Stunting is associated with: • Higher child mortality • Impaired cognitive development • Lower adult earnings • Worse health across the life course It reflects the biological imprint of social and economic conditions. 2)

Today, stunting is a core global health indicator. Globally, rates fell from roughly 47% in the mid-1980s to about 22% today. That’s major progress — but still hundreds of millions of children affected. 3)

But here’s the key question: What happened before modern surveys? How common was stunting in the 19th century? During industrialisation? In early 20th-century Europe or East Asia? Until now, we didn’t have systematic global evidence. 4)