Fig 1. Flowchart inclusion process.

HIV-negative children aged 2 to 5 years, neither suffering from acute malnutrition, nor from any other severe disease recruited in the community of the two districts of Ankasina or Andranomanalina Isotry, and in two hospitals (Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Joseph Ravoahangy Andrianavalona (CHU-JRA) and Centre de Santé Materno-Infantile, Tsaralalana) in Antananarivo, Madagascar. They were classified in three different groups*: severe stunting—SS—(height-for-age z-score ≤ -3SD), moderate stunting—MS—(height-for-age z-score between -3SD and -2SD) and not stunted—C for controls—(height-for-age z-score ≥ -2SD). SR: Sex ratio.