Association between placental malaria, postnatal linear growth, and body mass index in the Dogon Longitudinal Study, Mali

Severe placental malaria (PM) is linked to long-term adverse growth outcomes in children, including reduced linear growth up to age 5 and increased body mass index (BMI). A study of 317 Dogon children in Mali found that severe parasite density in the placenta was associated with a persistent decrease in height (−0.83 cm at 6 months) and a significant increase in BMI from ages 2 to 5, even after controlling for birth weight. The research used longitudinal data collected twice yearly, analyzing placental histology alongside growth metrics via linear mixed models. This is the first evidence that PM impacts postnatal BMI, expanding our understanding of its long-term effects beyond neonatal outcomes.

Merritt, C., Vincenz, C., Dolo, Z., Shedden, K., & Strassmann, B. I. (2026). Association between placental malaria, postnatal linear growth, and body mass index in the Dogon Longitudinal Study, Mali. Malaria Journal, 25(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12936-025-05776-x