Children whose parents smoke are at higher risk of stunted growth, according to the WHO.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), children whose parents smoke are at significantly increased risk of stunted growth.[1]Exposure to tobacco before and after birth can hamper development and health, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. In 2022, approximately 148 million children worldwide were affected, including 52 million in Asia and 43 million in Africa.

How Tobacco Influences Human Growth

Stunting is defined as a height that is significantly below the norm for a given age. This delay is often the result of chronic malnutrition. Smoking during pregnancy is also associated with premature birth, low birth weight, and restricted fetal growth, which are predictors of stunted growth.

Tobacco smoke contains more than 7,000 chemicals (at least 69 of which are known to cause cancer in adults) that harm fetal and child development. Exposure during pregnancy contributes to stunted growth, birth defects, and later chronic diseases. Exposure to secondhand smoke after birth worsens respiratory infections and developmental problems and impairs the absorption of essential nutrients, further increasing the risk of stunted growth. Infants and young children are particularly vulnerable to these effects.

According to the WHO, by 2024, more than 150 million children under 5 years old were too short for their age, or suffered from stunted growth.[2]This represents approximately 23% of all children in this age group. Globally, African countries such as Burundi and Eritrea have reported some of the highest rates of stunting, with approximately half of children aged 5 or younger considered too short for their age.

In India, although stunting rates have decreased according to the National Family and Health Survey (2019-2021) compared to the previous period, they still stand at 35.5 %.

" Stunting deprives children of their right to grow, learn and thrive ", said Dr. Etienne Krug, Director of the Department of Health Determinants, Promotion and Prevention at WHO. Children whose parents smoke are at higher risk of stunted growth. ".

Regarding the effects of pre-conceptual smoking, " Studies suggest that smoking before pregnancy may impact maternal health, fertility, and early embryonic development. However, there is currently no definitive evidence that smoking only before conception, without continuing during pregnancy, directly increases the risk of growth retardation. Further research is needed to establish a clear link and reach definitive conclusions. " said Dr. Tarjnee Tiwari, resident physician in community medicine at Sion Hospital in Mumbai[3].

WHO calls for strict enforcement of tobacco control measures

WHO calls on governments to strengthen tobacco control by fully implementing the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). More than 6.1 billion people are protected by at least one MPOWER measure aimed at reducing smoking, however the organization calls for the application of all these MPOWER provisions (surveillance, protection, assistance in stopping, warnings, ban on advertising and increase in taxes) and also for the application of all the provisions of the FCTC treaty.

Priorities include protecting pregnant women and children from secondhand smoke, expanding access to smoking cessation services, with particular attention to pregnant women, ensuring that all enclosed public places are completely smoke-free, strengthening tobacco regulations, raising public awareness, using pictorial health warnings, increasing tobacco taxes, and finally, a strict ban on advertising, promotion, and sponsorship.

Taking action against tobacco not only supports children's rights to health, growth and education, helps reduce health problems (infections, reduced immunity) and improves survival rates, but also reduces the number of many other tobacco-related diseases, which are responsible for more than seven million deaths worldwide each year.

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[1]World Health Organization, WHO warns that tobacco use is linked to child stunting, published September 9, 2025, accessed September 17, 2025

[2]Sakshi Srivastava, WHO report: Tobacco use identified as major driver of child stunting globally, The Week, published September 16, 2025, accessed September 17, 2025

[3]Sarjna Rai, Children with parents who smoke face higher risk of stunting: WHO, Business Standard, published September 16, 2025, accessed September 17, 2025

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