El Niño storms blamed for stunting growth in Peruvian children Researchers at Johns Hopkins University in the US found that Peruvian children who were born during or immediately after a severe El Niño event 17 years ago were significantly shorter for their age than their peers born after the extreme storms abated. El Niño is a cyclical weather pattern that occurs every three to seven years in the equatorial Pacific region. Warming at the surface of the ocean builds up and heats the air above it which results in torrential rains and extreme flooding in the Americas. Floods in Peru caused by El Niño weather system in 1997-98 destroyed crops, roads, and triggered illnesses such as malaria and diarrhoea. "El Niño had a big effect by reducing food availability," William Checkley, one of the authors of the study, said. Findings suggest that children in areas apparently most affected by floods were 4cm (1.5 inches) shorter than normal by the age of 10, and those aged under three, a crucial period for growth, were hardest hit. The study was conducted on more than 2000 children born between 1991 and 2001 around Tumbes in northern Peru. By measuring their heights and weights, it was found that before El Niño, the children had been steadily gaining height thanks to the increased food production as the economy was growing. However, the 1997 El Niño events have dramatically reversed this tendency. Stunting has been linked with decreased mental and physical capacity in later life, and higher-risk pregnancies. "Just as rings act as indicators of natural disaster experienced by a tree throughout its life, exposure to severe adverse weather events in utero or in early life can leave a long-lasting mark on growth and development in young children," the study says. Moreover, research found that the children born after the floods had reduced muscle mass, which may affect their capacity for work. This can have a serious impact on the sustainability of the agricultural and fishing activities in the region and affect the traditional communities. Heavy storms destroy crops and pollute waters, which makes food supplies scarce and increases the spread of infectious diseases. In addition, damaged roads complicate access to healthcare. The study says that the results are still too preliminary to conclude that El Niño is solely responsible. However, the authors note that "community members did not cite other events occurring during the same period as El Niño that had such a destructive impact on their lives."