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Anthropometry
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Introduction
Anthropometrythe study and technique of human body measurement
is the most commonly used method for the assessment of two of the most
widespread nutrition problems in the world: (1) protein-energy malnutrition, especially in young children and pregnant women; and (2) obesity,
or overweight, in all age-groups (Jelliffe and Jelliffe, 1989). Measurements of weight, height (or length) and, less frequently, subcutaneous fat
and muscle, are the usual data collected. This chapter covers the basic
indiceslow birth weight, height-for-age, weight-for-height, weight-forage, mid-upper arm circumference, body mass indexderived from
anthropometric measurements related to body size and composition, as
well as standard cut-offs for indicators, and their application to decisionmaking at individual and population levels.
At the individual level, anthropometry is used to assess compromised
health or nutrition well being, need for special services, or response to an
intervention. A one-time assessment is used during emergency situations
to screen for individuals requiring immediate intervention. Under nonemergency conditions, single assessments are used to screen for entry
into health or nutrition intervention programs either as an individual or as
a marker for a household or community at risk.
Trend assessments for individuals, such as periodic monitoring of weight
gain in children three years and younger, are used to detect growth problems, to intervene early enough to prevent growth failure, or to assess an
individuals response to some type of intervention.
At the population level, anthropometric data from a single assessment
provide a snapshot of current nutrition status within a community, and
should help to identify groups at risk of poor functional outcomes in terms
of morbidity and mortality (Gorstein, et al., 1994). Under emergency conditions, these static measurements are used to identify priority areas for
assistance. In non-emergency situations, one-time anthropometric
assessments are used for geographic targeting and as the basis for

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resource allocation decisions. Repeat survey results allow analysis of


trends, with anthropometric data possibly serving as concurrent indicators of impending food shortages in the context of an early warning system, as indication of service delivery problems or successes, and as an
indicator of population-based response to interventions.

Advantages
Anthropometric measurements are: (1) non-invasive and relatively economical to obtain; (2) objective; and (3) comprehensible to communities
at large. They produce data that can be graded numerically, used to
compile international reference standards, and compared across populations. They can also supply information on malnutrition to families and
health care workers prior to the onset of severe growth failure (or excessive weight gain).

Disadvantages
The disadvantages of anthropometry lie in: (1) the significant potential for
measurement inaccuracies; (2) the need for precise age data in young
children for construction of most indices; (3) limited diagnostic relevance;
and (4) debate over selection of appropriate reference data and cut-off
points to determine conditions of abnormality (adapted from Jelliffe and
Jelliffe, 1989).

Selecting indicators and cut-off points


Task managers are frequently faced with decisions about which anthropometric data should be collected and which indices constructed for a
particular purpose. They can be used as a proxy for household poverty,
to describe the overall picture of nutrition in a region or country, to determine target areas for delivery of nutrition/health interventions, to monitor
project progress or to evaluate project impact (see Box 2-1). While every
context warrants individual consideration of the range of anthropometric
indicators and an evaluation of logistical constraints and the specific

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objectives of the exercise, some indicators are used frequently. For example, 2Z weight-for-age is the most common index of childhood malnutrition for children under 3 years. (See Annex A for a related discussion
of indicator sensitivity and specificity and for an explanation of Z scores.)
It is important to note that each index delivers unique informationin
children, weight-for-height does not substitute for height-for-age or
weight-for-age, as each reflects a particular combination of biological
processes. Guidance on the range of uses for each indicator and target
group is included in the text beginning on page 13. Refer to Annex A for
summary recommendations on survey design issues for various policymaking and program management purposes.

Box 2-1: Potential Objectives for Use


of Anthropometric Indicators
Identification of individuals or populations at riskindicators
must reflect past or present risk, or predict future risk.
Selection of individuals or populations for an intervention
indicators need to predict the benefit to be derived from the
intervention.
Evaluation of the effects of changing nutritional, health, or socioeconomic influences, including interventionsindicators need to
reflect response to past and present interventions.
Excluding individuals from high-risk treatments, from employment, or from certain benefitsindicators predict a lack of risk.
(WHO Expert Committee, 1995)

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Measurement issues
Weight (in grams or kilograms)
Various types of scales are available to measure the weight of a child,
including spring scales (Salter) or beam balance scales. Hanging scales
are commonly used in many countries because they can be transported
easily, can be used in almost any setting (particularly where a flat surface
is not available) and are relatively inexpensive. Direct recording scales
have been developed by Teaching Aids at Low Cost (TALC)1 where a
growth chart is inserted into the scale and a pointer indicates the spot on
the chart. A family member can mark the chart, which encourages participation in the growth promotion activity. Balance beam scales are commonly used in health centers, as they need to be positioned on a flat
surface for accurate measurement and are not easily transported.
Standing beam scales are used to measure weight of adults, particularly
in health centers. UNICEFs UNISCALE is a new nonbeam or digital scale
that allows for the calculation of both adult and infant weight. An adults
weight is measured, then the adult accepts an infant in her/his arms on
the scale and the additional weight is automatically calculated. Standing
scales (both beam and digital) must be placed on a flat horizontal surface. Weight is usually measured to the nearest 100 grams (see Table 2-1
for available measurement tools).2

1. TALC can be contacted at PO Box 49, St. Albans, Herts, UK, AL14AX. Telephone
(44 1) 727 853869, Fax (44 1) 727 846852. Information on low cost educational materials, books, slide sets, and newsletters is available at www.talcuk.org.
2. Weighing scales can be procured through UNICEFs supply services in
Copenhagen. Contact the Customer Service Officer at telephone: (45) 35.27.35.27,
Fax: (45) 35.26.94.21, email: supply@unicef.dk or customer@unicef.dk, or on the web at
www.supply.unicef.dk/. UNICEF-New York telephone: 212-366-7000; fax: 212-887-7465.

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Anthropometric Assessment Tools


Height/Length (in centimeters)
Height is measured as recumbent length for the first two years of life.
After the age of two, a childs stature can be measured in the standing
position. Measurement of length requires a Shorr-Board or locally produced length board (specifications for constructing such a board are
available from UNICEF, CDC and others and can be constructed easily).
To measure height, a fixed, non-stretchable tape measure marked by 0.5
centimeter intervals (to the millimeter is desirable), a carpenters triangle
or substitute to ensure the childs head is at a right angle to the wall, a
straight wall and an even floor surface are necessary to collect accurate
height measurements (see Table 2-1 for available measurement tools).
Arm Circumference (in centimeters)
Special tape measures (Shakir strip or insertion tape) have been developed to measure arm circumference. A non-stretchable centimeter tape
or finger and thumb measurement (for children) can also be used. Measuring tapes will be cut and marked differently depending upon the
population (children or women) being measured. With the arm hanging
relaxed, the circumference at the midpoint between the shoulder and
elbow is measured to the nearest 0.1 cm or the color (e.g., red indicates
severe wasting, yellow is moderate, and green signals adequate nutrition
status) on the tape noted. See Figures 2-1 and 2-2, for more detailed
information on measuring arm circumference.
Accuracy of these measurements is influenced by the type and condition
of the equipment and the qualifications and training of the individual
taking the measurements. The equipment should be routinely calibrated
by regularly measuring something of known weight or height. Measurements are recorded in a health card, on a growth chart, or in another
reporting system. Detailed instructions for taking weight, height and arm

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Measures weight
of children and adults

Electronic Scale
(UNIscale)

Used to measure
weight of children

Single Beam
free hanging scales

Used to measure
weights of very
young children
and older children

Used to measure
weights of children

Single Beam
clinic scales

Dial Spring Scales

Measures the circumference of the upper


arm to assess current
nutritional status

Use

Mid-Arm Circumference Tape


(MUAC)

Measuring Tool

Accurate and can


be standardized

Accurate and
standardized

CMS (UK)c

UNICEFa

Accurate and can


be standardized

UNICEFa, local
manufacturers

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Very easy to use. Can


be tared to mothers
weight to measure
weight of infants.
Sturdy, durable and
portable. Scale needs

Sturdy, durable, and


also portable. Can be
difficult to read with
a swinging needle.

Is easy to use, but


slow. Durable, good
readability, but may
not be very portable.

Sturdy, easy readability, can be tared,


but heavy and not
easily portable

Accurate and can


be standardized

CMSc Weighing
Equipment (UK),
UNICEFa

Advantages and
Disadvantages
Convenient, but
not of much use
in measuring arm
circumference in
children under the
age of one. Exact
age of child is required to interpret
results.

Accuracy/
Standardization

UNICEF , and TALC : Subject to observer


Tapes as well as
error, may pull
instructions for
tape too tight
making and using
these available

Source

Table 2-1: Comparison of Different Types of Measuring Tools

$90

$3560

$1525

CMS:
$150300
UNICEF: $85.52

UNICEF: Pack
of 50 for $ 4.25.
TALC: $ 0.25
0.40 each

Cost

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Used to measure
recumbent length in
children under the age
of 2, and standing
height of older children
Used to distinguish
between stunting
and acute malnutrition.
Color-coded to identify
nutritional status
Measures height of
children and adults

Length/height
boards

Weight/height
Chart (Thinness
Measure)

Height Measuring
Instrument

Accurate, and
standardizable

UNICEFa

Needs to be mounted
on the wall, not portable, but easy to use.
Measures height up
to 2 m

Needs two people for


for accurate measuring. Subject to tearing.
Good readability and
portability

Accuracy depends
on the accuracy
of height and weight
measures taken
from other sources
(Scale, board)

TALCb, and UNICEFa

Sturdy, and highly


durable, easy to understand (even by nonliterate populations).
Are sturdy and
durable, with good
readability. Accurate
measuring may
require two people

Very accurate and


easily standardizable

Can be locally
Should be accurate
manufactured (inand easy to
structions available
standardize
from CDCd and
TALC)b, and UNICEFa

TALCb

$NA

TALC: $27.50,
UNICEF: NA

Price varies between locally


manufactured
or purchased,
$10285
UNICEF: $350

$25

a. UNICEF Supply Division, UNICEF Plads, Freeport; DK-2100, Copenhagen, Denmark. Tel: (45) 35-27-35-27; fax (45) 35-26-94-21; e-mail: supply@unicef.org;
website: www.supply.unicef.dk; or contact UNICEF field office: www.unicef.org/uwwide/fo.htm.
b. Teaching Aids at Low Cost (TALC), PO Box 49, St Albans, Herts AL14AX, England; Tel: (44) 01727-853869; fax: (44) 01727-846852; website: www.talcuk.org. Payments
from overseas must be made by 1) International money order, National Giro or UK postal order; 2) Sterling cheque drawn on UK bank; 3) Eurocheque made out in Sterling;
4) US dollar check drawn on US bank using correct rate of exchange; or 5) UNESCO coupons.
c. CMS (UK) Weighing Equipment Ltd., 18 Camden High Street, London NWI OJH, U.K.; Tel: (44) 01 387-2060 or (44) 020 7383-7030.
d. Center for Health Promotion and Education of the Centers fo Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd., NE, Atlanta, GA 30333; website: www.cdc.gov.
(Adapted from Griffiths, 1985)

Measures growth of
children by directly
recording weight on
a childs growth chart

TALC Direct
Recording Scale

to be replaced when
batteries are exhausted
(10 year life span)

10

Figure 2-1: Measuring Arm Circumference


with a Tape Measure

Source: Savage-King & Burgess, 1993.

circumference measures are provided in several other resource manuals:


UNICEF: Growth Monitoring, 1986; FAO Supplementary Feeding Programs, 1990; and I. Shorr, How to Weigh and Measure Children, 1986
and in Annex 2 of the WHO Expert Committee Report (1995) Physical
Status: The Use and Interpretation of Anthropometry.
Age (in months)
Age is often the most difficult measurement to obtain. The first step is to
examine reliable birth records if available for the child. If this source is
not available, it will be necessary to estimate birth date and age. It is
important to know the traditional calendar if age is to be imputed from
talking with the mother. An example of a local calendar is provided in
Figure 2-3. Using the triangulation method (asking information in several

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Figure 2-2: Measuring Arm Circumference


with a Shakir Strip

Midpoint between tip of


shoulder and elbow

Straight arm

Source: Savage-King & Burgess, 1993.

different ways) to confirm the birth date/age of the child will improve the
accuracy of the measurement. For example, after estimating the age of a
child with a local calendar compare dental eruption, height, and motor
development with a separately assessed child of similar age (Jelliffe and
Jelliffe, 1989).

International references
The current international reference, adopted by the World Health Organization, uses data from the US National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS)

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(FAO, 1993b)

Figure 2-3: Seasonal Calendar of a Community in The Philippines

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as a benchmark of growth in infants and children. The NCHS compiled


the weights and heights of thousands of healthy children with reference
data derived from several sources. Information on infants from birth to 36
months of age was collected between 196075 using a population of
middle-class, white, bottle-fed Americans. Data for children ages 218
years are from the Health Examinations Survey and the National Health
and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), and are representative of all
socioeconomic, ethnic, and geographical groups.
There is continuing debate about the appropriateness of these references for children in developing countries. The NCHS reference is composed of several different sample populations and as a result, the curves
are disjointed at 24 months. The majority of the study population was
bottle/formula fed, reflecting inadequately, the growth patterns of
breastfed infants.3 In addition, measurements were taken at three rather

3. In 1995, the WHO Working Group on Infant Growth concluded that to adequately
reflect growth patterns consistent with WHO feeding recommendations (i.e., exclusive
breastfeeding through 6 months, with continued breastfeeding combined with adequate complementary foods through two years), new growth curves based on reference data from exclusively breastfed infants from a variety of countries/regions should
be developed. A consistent, distinct pattern of growth for infants breastfed for at least
12 months emerged from an analysis of multiple, geographically diverse growth studies
by the Working Group. Typically, breastfed infants grew as or more rapidly than the
NCHS-WHO reference for 2 to 3 months, but showed a relative deceleration, particularly in weight, from 3 to 12 months. Mean head circumference on the other hand, was
above the NCHS-WHO median throughout the first year. In the studies that went
through the second year, there was a reversal of the trend, with weight-for-age, lengthfor-age, and weight-for-length returning toward the current NCHS-WHO reference
means between 12 and 24 months of age. In the absence of a revision of the current
reference growth curves, health workers can easily misdiagnose thriving breastfed
babies as growth faltering, and wrongly counsel mothers to introduce solids and
breastmilk substitutes unnecessarily early on. In many environments, the risk of morbidity and mortality due to contaminated feeding utensils and foods is high (Dewey,
et al., 1995 and WHO Working Group on Infant Growth, 1995). The new growth curves
are anticipated in late 2004 or early 2005.

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than one month intervals, which is less than ideal for characterizing the
shape of the growth curve. However, various studies have shown that the
growth standards achieved by children under 5 years of age in the NCHS
reference population can be attained by children in developing countries
if they are given adequate food and a relatively clean environment.
Therefore, WHO has endorsed these as a universal reference. The development of country-specific references is time consuming and costly, and
use of a global reference has the advantage of permitting cross-country
comparisons.

Low Birth Weight (LBW)


Inadequate fetal growth (often approximated by low birth weight) is a proxy
indicator of poor maternal nutritional status as well, as a predictor of risk for
neonatal, infant, and young child (through at least 4 years) morbidity and
mortality. There is some evidence that over the long term, growth-retarded
infants may experience permanent deficits in growth and cognitive development. Determinants of LBW include inadequate maternal protein-energy
consumption, anemia, malaria, tuberculosis, and smoking.
The newborns weight (in grams) is generally taken immediately after
delivery or within the first 24 hours of life. Although weight at birth by
gestational age is the best measurement (to differentiate between infants
who are small because they are pre-term and full-term infants who are
underweight), gestational age is difficult and often impossible to assess
or obtain in developing country settings. Thus under most circumstances,
incidence of low birth weight (defined as birth weight < 2500 gms) is
assessed and used as a proxy for small for gestational age (SGA).
Table 2-2 provides a summary of currently established cut-offs for LBW in
individual newborns and for signaling when LBW is a problem of public
health significance.
At the individual level, in order to reduce morbidity and mortality and
optimize long-term growth and performance, LBW can be used for

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Table 2-2: Recommended Cut-offs for Low Birth Weight


Indicator
a

Low Birth Weight (LBW)


Small for Gestational
Age (SGA)
Chest Circumferencec

Individual Newborn

Estimate of
Population Risk

Birth weight < 2500gms

Prevalence > 15%

10th percentile
< 29 cm

Prevalence > 20%


Prevalence > 15%

a. The 1990 World Summit for Children set as an end-of-century goal the reduction in the incidence
of low birth weight to less than 10 percent. However in 2003, incidence was 14 percent (UNICEF).
b. Populations with LBW prevalence of >15% (approximately twice the level of high income settings)
are at risk of long-term adverse effects on childhood growth and performance.
c. Not yet established as an official indicator of fetal growth.
(WHO Expert Committee, 1995)

screening, diagnosis, risk referral, and surveillance purposes (WHO


Working Group on Infant Growth, 1995). At the population level, LBW
information is used to generate population estimates of the public health
significance of the problem, for targeting of interventions, to stimulate
public health action, and to monitor and evaluate health and development progress. See Table 2-3 for global LBW prevalence rates.
Keep in mind that LBW data are prone to bias for several reasons. Birth
weights are generally collected in hospitals and clinics, introducing the
possibility of bias in areas with poor health care coverage and where the
majority of non-emergency births occur at home.

Weight-for-age (W/A)
Weight is influenced both by height and thinness. Low W/A (underweight)
is a combination indicator of height-for-age (H/A) and weight-for-height
(W/H). W/A is the most commonly reported anthropometric index and
used frequently for monitoring growth, identifying children at risk of
growth failure, and assessing the impact of intervention actions in growth
promotion programs. It is as sensitive an indicator as H/A in children

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Table 2-3: Percentage Prevalence Babies Born with


Low Birth Weight (< 2500 grams)
Region/
Country

Percent
Prevalence
LBW

AFRICA
Angola
Botswana
Burkina Faso
C.A.R.
Cameroon
Cape Verde
Comoros
Congo, Dem. Rep.
Cte dIvoire
Eritrea
Ethiopia
Ghana
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Kenya
Lesotho
Madagascar
Malawi
Mali
Mauritania
Mauritius
Mozambique
Namibia
Niger
Nigeria
Rwanda
Senegal
Sudan
Swaziland
Tanzania
Togo
Tunisia
Uganda
Zambia
Zimbabwe

12
10
19
14
11
13
25
12
17
21
15
11
12
22
11
14
14
16
23
42
13
14
16
17
12
9
18
31
9
13
15
7
12
10
11

Region/
Country

Percent
Prevalence
LBW

E.EUROPE and
CENTRAL ASIA
Albania
Armenia
Azerbaijan
Belgium
Bulgaria
Croatia
Czech Republic
Hungary
Kazakhastan
Kyrgyztan
Romania
Russian Federation
Turkey
Turkmenistan

3
7
11
8
10
6
7
9
8
7
9
6
16
6

LATIN AMERICA
and CARRIBEAN
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Barbados
Belize
Bolivia
Brazil
Chile
Columbia
Costa Rica
Cuba
Dominica
Dominican Rep.
Ecuador
El Salvador
Guatemala
Guyana
Haiti
Honduras
Jamaica
Mexico
Nicaragua
Panama
Paraguay
Peru
Suriname
Trinidad/Tobago
Uruguay
Venezuela

8
7
10
6
9
10
5
9
7
6
10
14
16
13
13
12
21
14
9
9
13
10
9
11
13
23
8
7

Region/
Country
SOUTH ASIA
Bangladesh
India
Maldives
Pakistan
Sri Lanka

30
30
22
19
22

MIDDLE EAST and


NORTH AFRICA
Algeria
Bahrain
Egypt
Iran
Iraq
Jordan
Lebanon
Morocco
Oman
Saudi Arabia
Tunisia
Yemen

7
8
12
7
15
10
6
11
8
11
7
32

EAST ASIA
China
Fiji
Indonesia
Korea, Rep. of
Malaysia
Mongolia
Myanmar
Papua New Guinea
Philippines
Solomon Is.
Thailand
Vietnam

6
10
10
4
10
8
15
11
20
13
9
9

TOTALS
Sub-Saharan Africa
Middle East and
North Africa
South Asia
Latin America and
the Caribbean
East Asia and the
Pacific
World
Least Developed

(UNICEF, 2004)

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Percent
Prevalence
LBW

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14
15
30
10
8
16
18

17

under three years, and it has the advantage of requiring only one relatively simple physical measurement (i.e., weight). However, because it is
dependent upon accurate age data availability, rounding of age is the
frequent cause of substantial systematic bias (Gorstein, et al, 1994).
Different age groups also affect sensitivity of W/A. Among the three most
common indices (W/H, H/A, W/A)while none of them have high predictive capacitiesweight-for-age has the highest predictive ability for childhood mortality (Pelletier, 1991).
The assessment of early growth deficits in an individual childoften
detected during monthly growth monitoring sessionsis equally if not
more important than identifying the already malnourished child. W/A (or
gainsee Box 2-2), can be used to identify children at
better, weight gain
risk of becoming malnourished, and guide preventive measures such as

Box 2-2: Rate of Weight Gain


In addition to assessing growth patterns through charting serial
W/A measurements, Savage-King and Burgess (1993) suggest the
following indicators of inadequate rate of weight gain in children
< 24 months:
A child who has lost weight
06 month old is gaining less than .5 kg/month
612 month old has no weight gain for 2 months
1224 month old has no weight gain for 3 months, especially if a
weight is below the 3rd centile
Tool #4 discusses alternative definitions of adequate growth patterns
using a combination of minimum monthly weight gain for different
ages with other indicators of health and nutrition status.

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nutrition counseling and entry into short-term food supplementation programs. (See Promoting the Growth of Children: What Works [Tool #4] for a
complete discussion of growth promotion.)
At the population level, W/A can be used to identify areas of highest
need for interventions and to assist in the allocation of resources among
communities or regions. Weight-for-age is also used to gauge response
to program interventions and to predict the health consequences of anthropometric deficits for populations (based on the predictive relationship
between W/A and childhood mortality). The younger the child, the better
the use of W/A as an indicator of nutritional status.
As described earlier, the international reference standard uses data from
the NCHS. To identify underweight, a childs actual weight is compared
with that of a reference child of the same sex at exactly the same age.
Annex B, Tables B-1ac contain the reference data for children 05 years.
See Annex A for a discussion of the presentation of W/A data as Z-scores.
Table 2-4 contains the proposed classification of malnutrition in a population using prevalence of low W/A. The classification of severity of malnutrition is useful for targeting purposes, but is not based on functional
outcomes. Even low levels of underweight may be a cause for concern

Table 2-4: Classification of Malnutrition by Prevalence


of Low Weight-for-Age
Degree of Malnutrition
Low
Medium
High
Very high

Prevalence of Underweight
(% of children < 60 months,
below 2 Z-scores)
< 10
1019
2029
30

(WHO Expert Committee, 1995)

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because only 2.3% of children in a well-nourished population would be


expected to have W/A < 2Z scores.

Height-for
-age (H/A) is a measure of cumulative linear growth and is
Height-for-age
often influenced by long-term food shortages, chronic and frequent
recurring illnesses, inadequate feeding practices, and poverty. This index
is used primarily with children under five years of age, with low H/A commonly not appearing before 3 months of age. Children who are short for
their age relative to a reference standard are classified as stunted. The
prevalence of stunting among children generally increases with age up to
2436 months and then remains relatively constant thereafter.
For individual children, H/A is not used to monitor growth because of
errors in measurement of relatively small changes in the short-term. In
regions where there is a known high prevalence of stunting such as
South Asia, H/A can be used to screen individual children under two
years of age for intervention. In areas with low prevalence of low H/A,
short children are more likely to be genetically short, making it inappropriate to assume a pathological basis for low H/A or to use the index as a
screening tool. (This can often be ascertained by looking at the height of
the childs parents.)
At the population level the prevalence of stunting is useful for long-term
planning and policy development, for targeting a range of interventions
to a community(s), and for monitoring malnutrition at the community,
regional, or national level. H/A is frequently used as a reflection of socioeconomic status and equity. For example, height measurements of similar age groups at intervals of years can demonstrate positive or negative
secular change within a community, region, or country. Poverty analyses
often use stunting as a nutritional indicator since it is cumulative and
cannot be compensated by fatness.
To identify whether a child is stunted, his/her actual height is compared
with that of a reference child of the same sex at exactly the same age.

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Annex B, Tables B-2ae contain the NCHS reference tables for H/A for
children ages 060 months. Stunting data are presented as Z-scores,
comparing a child or group of children with a reference population to
determine relative status. See Annex A for a full discussion of Z-scores.
To assess or estimate the prevalence of malnutrition in a population,
results are presented as the prevalence of children who fall below the
standard cut-off. Table 2-5 contains the proposed classification of malnutrition in a population using prevalence of stunting. The classification of
severity of malnutrition is useful for targeting purposes, but is not based
on functional outcomes. Interpret low and medium with cautiononly
2.3% of children in well-nourished populations would be expected to fall
below 2Z-scores, making even low levels of stunting cause for concern. All cut-offs are merely indicators of risk, not necessarily of actual
malnutrition.

Weight-for
-height (W/H) measures body weight relative to height. Beeight-for-height
cause weight can fluctuate rapidly in children due to illness or inadequate food intake, W/H reflects the current nutritional status of a child,
with low W/H (wasting) indicating current acute malnutrition with failure to
gain weight or actual weight loss. However, low W/H can also be a result
of a chronic condition in some communities. Weight in individual children

Table 2-5: Classification of Malnutrition by Prevalence


of Low Height-for-Age
Degree of Malnutrition
Low
Medium
High
Very high

Prevalence of Stunting
(% of children < 60 months,
below 2 Z-scores)
< 20
2029
3039
40

(WHO Expert Committee, 1995)

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and population groups may exhibit marked seasonal patterns associated


with changes in food availability or disease prevalence. In non-emergency situations, the highest prevalence of wasting generally occurs in
young children 1224 months of age.
Among individual children, W/H is a useful index for assessing nutrition
status under famine conditions and for identifying short-term nutrition
problems in non-emergency situations. Wasting is the usual indicator of
choice for targeting treatment of diarrheal and other diseases. High W/H
(> +2 Z-scores) is used to screen children at risk for developing obesity
and future related morbidity such as heart disease. Given that a childs
weight should be more or less the same for a given height regardless of
age, W/H has the advantage of not requiring knowledge of childrens
ages (Gibson, 1990).
At the population level under non-emergency conditions, W/H is usually
relatively constant at less than 5% with the exception of the Indian subcontinent where prevalence rates are substantially higher (e.g., in
Bangladesh). W/H is used for determining seasonal stresses and allocating resources to vulnerable areas and population groups. In the case of
disasters, the W/H index can help to determine the severity of the emergency, and the need for relief food rations. At the opposite extreme, W/H
is used to identify priority areas for interventions to reduce rates of overweight and obesity.
As described earlier, the international reference standard uses data from
the NCHS. To identify whether a child is wasted or overweight, a childs
actual weight is compared with that of a reference child of the same sex
at exactly the same height. Annex B, Tables B-3ae contain the NCHS
reference tables for weight-for-length and weight-for-height. See Annex A
for a discussion of the presentation of W/H data as Z-scores.
Table 2-6 contains the proposed classification of malnutrition in a population using prevalence of wasting. As is the case with height-for-age and

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Table 2-6: Classification of Malnutrition by Prevalence


of Low Weight-for-Height
Degree of Malnutrition
Low
Medium
High
Very high

Prevalence of Wasting
(% of children < 60 months,
below 2 Z-scores)
<5
59
1014
15

(WHO Expert Committee, 1995)

weight-for-age, the classification of severity of malnutrition is useful for


targeting purposes, but is not based on functional outcomes. Because
only 2.3% of children in well-nourished populations would be expected to
fall below 2Z-scores, even low levels of wasting may be cause for
concern. See sections on overweight under Body Mass Index (see page
26) and Adolescent Anthropometry (see page 34) for further discussion
of cut-offs and population-based prevalence rates.

Mid-Upper Ar
m Cir
cumfer
ence (MUAC), the measure of the diameter of
Arm
Circumfer
cumference
fat, bone, and muscle tissue of the upper arm, is an alternative index to
consider in situations where it is difficult to collect weight and height
measurements. For example, in settings where health workers are illiterate or under emergency conditions, when screening is more important
than counseling, MUAC is useful. MUAC offers the operational advantages of a simple, easily portable measurement device (the arm band/
tape) and the use of a single cut-off for children under five years of age
(12.5 or 13.0 cm) as a proxy for low W/H or wasting. MUAC has also
been used as a screening device for pregnant women; because MUAC
is generally a stable measure throughout pregnancy, it is used as a proxy
of prepregnancy weight, and therefore an indicator of risk for low birth
weight babies. One type of color-coded measuring tape, the Shakir strip,
is made from locally available materials and is appropriate for illiterate/

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innumerate workers; red signifies severe malnutrition, yellow is moderate


malnutrition, and green signals adequate nutrition. (See discussion on
p.7 for more information on measuring tools.)
Disadvantages of the index are the large variability in MUAC measurements (a 0.5 cm error in MUAC has greater implications than a 0.5 cm
error in height) and the increased time/effort necessary for training and
standardization of MUAC measurements. Comparisons of MUAC with a
fixed cut-off and low W/H derived from the same population have demonstrated poor correlation of the two indicators when used for determining
individual nutrition status. More children were identified as malnourished
by MUAC (false positives), with the attendant implications for diminished
cost-effectiveness of an intervention program. However, at the community
level, MUAC has been found to be a superior predictor of mortality risk,
and thus could serve as an effective screening tool (WHO Expert Committee, 1995).
At the individual level, MUAC-for-age is recommended for screening
purposes to identify infants/children and pregnant women who need supplementary food or therapeutic feeding, and possibly treatment for disease.
It is not recommended for assessing response to interventions (WHO
Expert Committee, 1995).
At the population level, MUAC-for-age or MUAC is useful for targeting
purposes (WHO Expert Committee, 1995) including determining the severity of a disaster or emergency situation, the need for/type of relief
rations, and priorities for allocation of resources. Because of the high
correlation between low MUAC and mortality in under-fives, this index is
potentially useful for predicting the consequences of malnutrition identified by anthropometric deficits in populations.
WHO Expert Committee (1995) proposed that MUAC with a fixed cut-off
be used as an additional screening tool in non-emergency situations (but
not as a substitute for weight- and height-based indices), and suggests

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that MUAC-for-age is an acceptable substitute for W/H in the context of


population-level nutritional surveillance. The reference data for MUACfor-age are based on US children aged 6 to 60 months from the National
Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES). Annex B, Tables
B-4ac contain reference tables for MUAC measurements (median and
standard deviations) for boys and girls ages 660 months.
Table 2-7 contains the cut-offs and classifications recommended for
MUAC in children ages 1 to 5 years. Cut-offs for pregnant women are
determined on the basis of local reference data; measurements between
2123.5 cm have been used in the past to determine risk of LBW infants.

Height-for-Age in School Children


Used solely for population-level analysis, this index captures the earlier
health and nutrition histories as well as the broader socioeconomic and
environmental factors affecting school-age children four to six years after
the fact. A height census is the measurement of height of all entering first
graders at schools throughout a country. Experience in Latin America
(PAHO/WHO/UNICEF, 1997) suggests that the results from a height-forage census can be used to advocate for allocation of social programs, to
identify particularly needy geographic areas, and to plan and target poverty alleviation and other types of social welfare programs. Height-for-age

Table 2-7: Classification of MUAC in Children 1260


Months
Classification
Normal
Moderate wasting
Severe wasting

Cut-Off Value
> 13.5 cm
12.513.5 cm
< 12.5 cm

(FAO, 1993a)

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in school children is not the most appropriate indicator to target individual or population level nutrition intervention strategies, but rather to
advocate for increased resources to the education sector. It is useful for
targeting school-based interventions designed to increase enrollment,
promote attendance, and prevent dropouts (PAHO/WHO/UNICEF, 1997).
As with most anthropometric indicators, it is important to use the school
height census findings as part of a more complete set of data about the
physical, economic, and sociocultural context of a community or region.
Height-for-age data will not answer questions about the determinants of
earlier poor health and nutrition conditions. The primary objective of
height censuses is the construction of a classification scale and not exact prevalence estimates of height retardation in a specific population
(PAHO/WHO/UNICEF, 1997).
A school census provides relatively easy access to a population, and
may well furnish greater coverageparticularly at first gradethan surveying health center clients. It can be implemented in a few months and
is relatively cheap. The technology for obtaining the measurements is
simple and inexpensive, and teachers can readily be trained to carry out
the survey. The first grade of school is often the point at which the greatest numbers of individuals of similar age from different socioeconomic
backgrounds in the country are brought together, allowing for interregional comparisons to be made.
It is important that age data are collected rather than making the assumption that all first year students are the same age. And while
school-based data may capture high percentages of the school-age
population in middle-income countries, the most common source of
bias in height-for-age surveys is population coverage. Problems are
related either to the exclusion of a large number of schools from the
sampling frame because of accessibility issues, or a high percentage
of children missing from school enrollments because of gender bias,

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26

health status, household poverty and so forth. Typically, the lack of


coveragegenerally in economically disadvantaged areasresults in
underestimation of stunting prevalence and the distortion of regional
classification/prioritization systems.
Information on height is usually collected at the level of the individual
school. Data are presented as mean Z-scores and estimates of prevalence of low height-for-age, stratified by sex and by age group. Ideally,
local school prevalence estimates will be aggregated to correlate with a
countrys political or administrative units; the small sample sizes provided
by the individual schools have the problem of large standard errors.
The Family Assistance Program/Women Head of Household Food Coupon
Program (PRAF) in Honduras used an annual nationwide school nutrition
census of all 6 to 9 year-old students entering the first grade of public
schools to improve targeting of the food coupon distribution system.
Recommended references for height-for-age values for school-age children are the NCHS/WHO data in Annex B Tables B-5ab. For a more
detailed discussion of the height-for-age census, refer to the joint technical report by PAHO/WHO/UNICEF (1997).

Body Mass Index (BMI)


BMI is defined as: (weight in kilograms)/(height in meters2). For adults in
developing countries, anthropometry has largely been used to identify
chronic energy deficiency (thinness) and at the opposite extreme, to
classify problems of obesity. BMI is highly correlated with fat mass and is
therefore a reasonably good index of body energy stores as fat. As an
index of nutritional status, BMI accounts for the fact that weight is influenced by height and is therefore less biased by this association than
other indices.

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27

Chronic energy deficiency


According to WHO Expert Committee (1995), at the individual level, onetime measurement of weight or BMI in men and non-pregnant women is
of limited use for predicting health risks or benefits from nutrition or
health interventions. The degree of unintentional weight loss of an adult
is a better predictor of individual morbidity and mortality risk related to
low weight or thinness. Nonetheless, the WHO Expert Committee (1995)
has published BMI tables (Annex B Table B-6) and established cut-offs
for use in determining degrees of chronic energy deficiency in individuals (see Table 2-8 ). With pregnant women, pre-pregnancy or first trimester BMI can be used to screen for food supplementation, and to
identify women at risk for delivery of a low birth weight or preterm infant
(see page 31 for more information).
At the population level, monitoring adult nutritional status with BMI in nonemergency situations can be a useful tool for assessing nutritional or
other socioeconomic deprivation. Low BMI data can be used as the
basis for targeting services to a community; a changing BMI profile may
be indicative of a population undergoing adverse social or economic
change.

Table 2-8: Proposed BMI Cut-Offs for Chronic Energy


Deficiency in an Individual Adult
BMI Range

Diagnosis

Chronic Energy Deficiency


< 16
1616.9
1718.4
18.524.9

Grade 3 thinness (severe)


Grade 2 thinness (moderate)
Grade 1 thinness (mild)
Normal

(WHO Expert Committee, 1995)

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Table 2-9: Adult Thinness as a Public Health Problem


Population prevalence BMI < 18.5
59%
1019%
2039%
> 40%

Classification
Low prevalence: warning sign,
monitoring required
Medium prevalence: poor situation
High prevalence: serious situation
Very high prevalence: critical
situation

(WHO Expert Committee, 1995)

BMI is also a general indicator of adult health status, particularly low


BMI. Establishing a baseline picture of the BMI distribution for a population enables detection of threats to food security and the need for rapid
intervention in an area undergoing either man-made or natural disaster
emergency conditions. In an emergency feeding program, anthropometric monitoring of adults helps to discriminate between problems of
adequate supplementary food supplies and other public health interventions because adults are less susceptible to epidemic infection
than malnourished children. Adult BMI data are presumed to more
directly reflect dietary adequacy rather than a complicated interplay
of infection, appetite, feeding behaviors, and other factors that affect
child nutrition status.
Table 2-8 contains the recommended cut-offs defining varying degrees of
thinness in an individual, and Table 2-9 suggests prevalence levels signifying a public health problem within a population.
Overweight
Overweight (excess energy stored as fat resulting from energy intake
exceeding expenditure) is associated with increased risk of morbidity

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29

(e.g., coronary heart disease, diabetes mellitus, gallbladder disease,


some cancers, and musculoskeletal disorders) in most populations.
BMI is used to classify individuals in terms of overweight, with further
testing necessary to identify individual risk factors (e.g., smoking, dietary
and exercise habits, blood pressure, serum lipids, family history, etc.) for
specific types of disease. According to the World Health Report (WHO,
2002), noncommunicable diseases accounted for almost 60% of the
worlds 56 million deaths in 2001. Five of the six main risk factors are
closely related to diet and physical activity.
At the population level, overweight is a sensitive indicator of energy
imbalance caused by a combination of excessive energy intake and
insufficient energy expenditure. Because it is such a difficult condition
to treat, usually begins in childhood, and is already a widespread problem in industrialized countries, interventions need to focus on prevention. Establishing needs and priorities for intervention programs is
achieved through representative population surveys, with a prevalence
of BMI> 30 (or > 85 percentile) suggested as the principal indicator
(WHOTechnical Report Series No. 916, 2003).
Age-specific and age-standardized proportions of the population above
a certain BMI cut-off can also be used to evaluate health promotion and
disease prevention programs in which weight control is one goal. To
evaluate interventions for prevention of overweight in populations where
prevalence of obesity is low, monitor longitudinal weight development.
Efficacy of the intervention can be judged with a case-control study
design and a follow-up period of at least five years.
Anthropometric data are less useful for targeting specific interventions
because of the interplay of genetics with obesity. Genetic differences
between populations influence the degree of risk associated with overweight as well as the types of disease that may occur as a result of

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excess body weight. For example, it appears that abdominal fatness may
be less of a risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes in black women
than in white, while Asians and Mexican-Americans appeared to have
higher risks of developing non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus than
Caucasians of similar BMI (WHO Expert Committee, 1995).
Table 2-10 contains the recommended cut-offs defining varying degrees
of overweight in an individual.

Anthropometry During Pregnancy


Anthropometric evaluation of pregnant women has the advantage of
being a fairly widely used, low-technology procedure which generates
information about the nutritional status of the mother and growth of the
fetus (WHO Expert Committee, 1995).
Useful application of anthropometric data from pregnant women depends on the availability of resources and the likelihood of intervening
to avert negative pregnancy outcomes. For instance, when limited
resources (i.e., no scales) make weight data collection impossible, short
height or mid-upper arm circumference may be used as a screening tool.
There may be over-classification of at-risk women. Setting cut-offs will
similarly depend on availability of local resources for intervention.

Table 2-10: Classification of Overweight in Adults by BMI


BMI Range (kg/m2)
2529.9
3034.9
3539.9
40 and above

Classification
Overweight (pre-obese)
Class I obese
Class II obese
Class III obese (extreme obesity)

(National Institutes of Health, 2004)

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The preferred indicators of pregnancy outcome are pre-pregnancy


weight, body mass index (BMI) through the first 20 weeks of gestation,
weight gain during pregnancy, or height. These indicators provide some
assessment of risk for the woman during delivery and of potential health
problems for the newborn child. The WHO Collaborative Study on Maternal Anthropometry and Pregnancy Outcomes (1995) found that anthropometric indicators are more strongly related to fetal growth than to
complications of labor and delivery, although stature can be a relatively
strong predictor of delivery complications and maternal mortality.
For all of these indicators, selection of one or a combination of several
will depend upon what is being assessed: maternal and/or infant risk of
poor health/nutrition outcomes, selection of one or more interventions, or
response to an intervention(s). And critically, the choice of cut-off for a
particular indicator rather than the indicator itself, may be the issue of
most importance for determining the optimal use of maternal anthropometry. For example, the cut-off for BMI best suited to predict risk for intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) might well be lower than the BMI cut-off
that best indicates response to an intervention. The nature of the outcome (e.g., LBW, prematurity), the nature of the intervention (e.g., food or
iron supplementation, reduced workload, child-spacing), the distribution
of the anthropometric measurement in the population (e.g., percentage of
the population below various cut-offs), the prevalence of the outcome,
and the importance of the cause targeted for intervention relative to other
causes, will influence the selection of indicator and cut-offs.
Pre-pregnancy weight
Weight prior to pregnancy or within the first 20 weeks of pregnancy is a
measurement frequently used to indicate the need for maternal weight
gain during pregnancy and to target women for supplementary feeding.
It is currently the most useful screening indicator for risk of low birth
weight (due to IUGR) in infants. Weight assessment after 20 weeks

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gestation is used for referring women to facilities where small for gestational age (SGA) and preterm infants can receive specialized care. Population-specific cut-offs for pre-pregnancy weight should be established
within the range of 4053 kg.
Body Mass Index (BMI)
The WHO Expert Committee recommends the use of BMI with pregnant
women for prevention of preterm delivery or referral for neonatal care in
populations at risk of preterm delivery. Measured during the first trimester,
a population-specific cut-off between 17 and 21 has moderate sensitivity
and specificity for predictive purposes.
Low BMI (population-specific cut-offs) has also been used to determine
which women should receive counseling on diet and/or supplementary
feeding. It is important to note that there are several assumptions concerning causality of low BMI and the efficacy of the feeding intervention
implicit in this choice of targeting indicator:
1) Low maternal BMI is caused by chronically low energy intake and not
by morbidity;
2) Low intake is caused by inadequate access to food at the household
level, and not by detrimental intrahousehold allocation patterns; and
3) Supplementary food will be preferentially available to pregnant and/or
lactating women and will not substitute for the home diet (WHO Expert
Committee, 1995).
Height/Stature
Height in adults is a combination of genetic potential for growth and environmental effects that influence growth. Specifically for pregnancy, it is
an estimate of pelvis size and the only anthropometric measure that

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serves (with moderate accuracy) as a predictor of need for an assisted


delivery. In several studies short maternal height has been associated
with poor growth of the fetus (intrauterine growth retardation or IUGR)
and subsequently, low birth weight. Current recommendations suggest
setting population-specific cut-offs between 140150 cm; height less
than 145 cm is a cut-off associated with increased risk of maternal mortality (Krasovec and Anderson, 1991). Height should not be used to target a narrow intervention such as supplementary feeding because it
does not reflect current nutrition status, nor will it capture maternal response to feeding in most cases. Height is probably best employed as a
screening instrument in situations of limited resources, bearing in mind
that considerable misclassification of cases will result.
Weight gain during pregnancy
Although this indicator is most reflective of the pregnancy period (generally 20+ weeks), its findings come at a point when intervention options for
the mother or fetus are limited. It is useful for referral for specialized labor
and delivery and neonatal care, and for selecting individuals for intervention during lactation. Changes during pregnancy are relative to height
and to initial nutritional status; therefore some clinicians suggest that the
percentage weight gain relative to pre-pregnancy weight be used (setting a 1525 percent increase as desirable) versus an absolute gain of
10 kg over the course of the pregnancy. Another weight gain cut-off used
frequently is 1 kg/month over the last two trimesters.

Mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) may also be considered for screening (not monitoring) purposes as a predictor of low birth weight, particularly
in cases where program resources limit equipment options and/or women
have only one or very few contacts with the healthcare system during their
pregnancy. Because MUAC increases only minimally if at all during pregnancy, it is used as a proxy for maternal pre-pregnancy and early pregnancy weight. The disadvantages of MUAC are the possibility for

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measurement error, the greater impact of that error for misclassification in


comparison to other measurements such as weight, and the increased
effort necessary for training and standardization of MUAC measurements.
Population-specific cut-offs will need to be determined based on local
reference data and availability of resources for intervention. MUAC cut-offs
between 2123.5 cm have been used for identification of women likely to
have LBW infants (Krasovec and Anderson, 1991).
Identification of individuals or population groups at risk for poor pregnancy outcomes is only the first step. An assessment of possible determinants (see Box 2-3) will help to understand the cause of poor maternal
weight gain and/or problematic fetal growth during pregnancy as well as
direct efforts at intervention.

Adolescent Anthropometry (children 1019 years of age)


Use of anthropometry for diagnostic and screening purposes in adolescents is constrained primarily by the difficulty of capturing the subjects.

Box 2-3: Possible Determinants


of Poor Growth during Pregnancy
Some of the pertinent issues to look at include:
Availability and access to key foods
Cultural perceptions of appropriate diet during pregnancy
Estimates of physical work/energy expenditure
Prevalence and type of maternal infections
(WHO Expert Committee, 1995 )

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And while it is a critical time for the development of many health and
nutrition risks (e.g., obesity, short stature in girls), it is a pointless exercise
unless specially-targeted intervention strategies (nutrition, life skills
education, family planning, and STDs/AIDS) prevention will be planned
and implemented.
It is important to disaggregate adolescent anthropometric data by sex
because of the differences in size and timing of the growth spurt between
the sexes. Due to the transient nature of adolescent growth patterns and
wide variability in timing of maturational changes, age intervals for collecting data should be shortened to six months (as opposed to one-year
intervals during middle childhood), for the period two years after the
growth spurt until adult height is attained.
Height-for-age (H/A), body mass index (BMI), and BMI-for-age are the
most commonly constructed indices for this population group. Weight-for
height (W/H) is no longer useful because the relationship between weight
and height changes with age and maturational stage during adolescence.
BMI-for-age is recommended as the best indicator during adolescence,
incorporating information on age, providing continuity with adult indicators,
and applicable to both underweight and overweight conditions.
Provisional references for adolescent anthropometry use NCHS data,
which include standard deviations and percentiles of height and weight
through the adolescent years. While BMI-for-age percentiles are acknowledged to be skewed toward higher values, they are currently recommended as the best option for uniform reporting purposes until other data
are compiled. H/A and BMI-for-age percentiles are presented in Annex B,
Tables B-7ab.
For individuals, stunting (H/A < 2 Z-scores) is used to identify adolescents who could benefit from improved nutrition or treatment of other
underlying health problems, with the greatest impact expected for
premenarcheal girls and pre- or early pubertal boys. Particularly for girls,

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stunting is related to poor reproductive outcomes (low birth weight,


cephalopelvic disproportion,5 dystocia,6 and increased risk of cesarean
section and possible postmenopausal osteoporosis). Menarche in girls
and the attainment of an adult voice in boys indicates that peak stature
velocity has already occurred, and the effect of nutrition interventions on
stunting will be minimal.
Thinness (low BMI-for-age) in adolescents is useful for determining need
for supplementary feeding, nutrition education, and referral to medical
care, with a suggested cut-off of BMI-for-age < 5th percentile.
Adolescents with BMI 85 percentile are at risk of overweight. Generally,
in populations where there are large numbers of overweight individuals, it
is recommended that adolescents with high BMI have additional screening to identify obesity-related risk factors such as high blood pressure,
family history of cardiovascular disease or diabetes mellitus.
Use of adolescent anthropometry at the population level is similar to that
for individuals. It is helpful to determine median ages for maturational
indicators (menarche, breast and genitalia development, attainment of
adult voice) for a population in order to facilitate cross comparison with
other populations after adjusting for maturational age (WHO Expert Committee, 1995).
Summary statistics for thinness should be reported for targeting purposes (mean, SD) by age and sex groups, as well as the frequency
below the 5th percentile of BMI-for-age. Identifying regions with a high
proportion of thin adolescents will help to guide decisions about design
of intervention programs and the allocation of resources. Premenarcheal

5. Cephalopelvic disproportion is a condition in which the maternal pelvis is too small


for the size of the fetal head.
6. Dystocia denotes a difficult labor due to fetal or maternal causes.

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girls and pre-pubescent boys are the at-risk groups that will derive the
greatest benefit from intervention.
To assess response to interventions directed at excess thinness among
adolescents, evaluate frequencies of BMI relative to either the NCHS
reference data or local reference standards. Secular change in thinness
prevalence can be a useful indicator of overall social or economic improvement (or decline). It is recommended that surveillance of adolescents (usually a component of surveillance covering other population
groups as well) occur every five years during periods of socioeconomic
change or while programs are in progress. During periods of social upheaval or rapid positive (or negative) change, more frequent assessment
is optimal. Ten-year intervals are sufficient otherwise (WHO Expert Committee, 1995). Again, report mean and SD of BMI and frequencies of BMIfor-age < 5th percentile.
In areas where overweight is an identified problem, prevalence can be
estimated by an anthropometric survey. Survey results will also assist with
the design or modification of intervention programs. Based on BMI reference data (Annex B Table B-6), report frequencies of adolescents with
BMI 85 percentile, mean, median, and SD of BMI and frequency of
BMI 30, disaggregated by age and sex.
To determine obesity (excessive body fat), the WHO Expert Committee
recommends combined use of three indices: BMI-for-age, triceps and
sub scapular skinfold thicknesses (TRSKF and SSKF). BMI alone is an
inexact measure of total body fat and obesity (implying knowledge of
body composition) is limited to those adolescents both at risk of overweight (high BMI) and characterized by high levels of subcutaneous fat
(high TRSKF- and SSKF-for-age). The suggested cut-off values in Table
2-11 are provisional, and are based on limited evidence of universal applicability. See Tables B-8a to B-8b and B-9a to B-9b in Annex B for reference percentiles of triceps and sub-scapular skinfold thicknesses for
adolescents.

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Table 2-11: Proposed Cut-Off Values for Adolescent


Anthropometry
Indicator
Stunting/low H/A
Thinness or low BMI for age
At risk of overweight
Obese (simultaneous use
of all three indicators
is recommended)

Indices
H/A
BMI for age
BMI for age
BMI for age
TRSKF for age
SSKF for age

Cut-Off Value
< 2 Z-score; 3rd percentile
< 5th percentile
85th percentile
85th percentile and
90 percentile and
90th percentile

(WHO Expert Committee, 1995)

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