It’s a familiar scene: parents patiently waiting for their young child to be measured by a nurse or community health worker. The measurements are then plotted on a growth chart, guiding conversations with parents about their child’s nutrition, health, and development.
Growth monitoring and promotion (GMP) has been a cornerstone of child nutrition programs in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) for decades and at face value, it appears to be a sensible activity. But its usefulness has been questioned and challenged repeatedly since the 1980s. Key concerns include the poor quality of weight and height measurements in typical LMIC public healthcare contexts, low coverage, and uncertainty regarding the specific purposes and pathways for how GMP is expected to benefit children. Additionally, there is currently no solid evidence that GMP improves caregiver nutrition knowledge and practices, child growth, or the use of health and nutrition services.