high levels of stunting in a country are associated with poor socioeconomic conditions and increased risk of frequent and early exposure to adverse conditions such as illness andor inappropriate feeding practices who f wasting or thinness low weightforheight indicates in most cases a recent and severe weight loss which is often associated with inadequate food intake andor a severe disease recurrent events of wasting can increase the risk of stunting and stunting increases the risk of overweight and obesity later in life