Table 2. Grouping of children in MAL-ED cohort based on stunting* status at 2, 5 and 9 years (n = 200^#).

Groups	n (%)	Mean (SD) HAZ scores at birth	Mean (SD) HAZ scores at 2 years	Mean (SD) HAZ scores at 5 years	Mean (SD) HAZ scores at 9 years
Children who were never stunted	109 (54.50)	-0.65 (0.91)	-1.20 (0.58)	-0.93 (0.63)	-0.26 (0.76)
Children stunted at 2 years and catch-up at 5 years	34 (17)	-1.20 (1.05)	-2.30 (0.21)	-1.52 (0.34)	-0.79 (0.46)
Children stunted at 2 and 5 years, and, catch-up at 9 years	36 (18)	-1.32 (0.84)	-2.88 (0.56)	-2.47 (0.36)	-1.06 (1.87)
Children stunted at 2, 5 and 9 years	21 (10.50)	-1.67 (1.3)	-3.32 (0.75)	-3.00 (0.46)	-2.48 (0.38)

Children with height-for-age z scores < - 2SD were classified as stunted.

^#Of 203 children who had complete information on stunting at all three time points, 200 (98.52%) were included in one of the above groups. The remaining 3/203 (1.48%) children who were not included in any of the above groups, two were stunted only at 5 years, with their HAZ scores at 2 and 9 years ≥ 2 SD, and, another child was stunted only at 9 years, followed by HAZ scores ≥ 2 SD at 2 and 5 years.