A new study revealed that malnutrition early in life looks to reduce brain function in elderly people and this has implications for many deprived and developing nations.

The resaerch of over 15,000 elderly in China suggested that not being hungry all through childhood saves lives and amends physical condition in addition to enhancing cognitive well-being in late life.

Zhenmei Zhang, Michigan State University assistant professor of sociology, who led the project, stated that internationally, 178 million children under five years are stunted or short in stature owing to lack of food, illness or both.

Prof. Zhang said, "It's important for policymakers to know that investing in children really has long-term benefits, not only for those individuals but for society as a whole."

She stated that researchers earlier studied how childhood undernourishment affects health and mortality, with little attention devoted to the long-term, negative effects on brain growth and function.

Zhang and her fellow workers from Portland State University and the University of Texas assessed the data of 15,444 old people who took part in the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey, funded by the National Institutes of Health, United States.

The study included a screening examination for cognitive impairment, measurements of arms and lower legs and a question on childhood hunger.

The study said that females who suffered from childhood hunger were 35% more likely to have cognitive impairment at the age of 65 or older, whereas males who suffered from childhood hunger had a 29% higher chance.

Zhang stated that knowing the effects of childhood malnutrition is particularly important for developing nations like China, where a large proportion of older adults lived in poverty when they were kids.

Zhang said, "The older Chinese population examined in this study experienced childhood hunger on a scale unmatched in the United States. Many of China's surviving older individuals suffered from severe hunger and devastating wars in their childhood. Before 1949, for example, life expectancy in China was 35 years."

The results of the research appear in Social Science and Medicine. (With Inputs from Agencies)