Spirometry in undernourished children in sub-Saharan African

Malnutrition remains a major public health concern in the world today. Estimates from 2015 show that 156 million children under 5 years of age were stunted, and 50 million were wasted (1). Both acute and chronic undernutrition are known to have lasting effects on health (2,3), however the impact of malnutrition on one vital organ: the lungs, is still unclear. This, in part, has to do with the lack of suitable reference for spirometry outcomes for children in areas most affected by undernutrition, such as sub-Saharan Africa.