Mid-upper arm circumference cut-offs for screening thinness and severe thinness in Indian adolescent girls aged 10-19 years in field settings

Abstract

Objective: (i) To assess diagnostic accuracy of mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) for screening thinness and severe thinness in Indian adolescent girls aged 10-14 and 15-19 years compared with BMI-for-age Z-score (BAZ) < -2 and < -2 and BAZ < -3 was ≤19·4 and ≤18·9 cm. Among 15-19 years, corresponding values were ≤21·6 and ≤20·7 cm. For both BAZ < -2 and BAZ < -3, specificity was higher in 15-19 v. 10-14 years. State-wise variations existed. MUAC cut-offs ranged from 17·7 cm (10 years) to 22·5 cm (19 years) for BAZ < -2, and from 17·0 cm (10 years) to 21·5 cm (19 years) for BAZ