Mid upper arm and calf circumferences as indicators of nutritional status in women of reproductive age

Abstract

Mid upper arm circumference (MUAC) is recognized as an effective means of screening for poor nutritional status in adults. The efficacy of calf circumference (CC) as a screening tool, however, is not well reported. We studied 2000 healthy women (age range: 15-49 years) in Mashed, Islamic Republic of Iran, to assess anthropometric measurements at reproductive age and the usefulness of MUAC and CC for estimating body mass index (BMI) and screening of women at nutritional risk. We found a strong correlation between MUAC and CC with weight and BMI, suggesting that MUAC and CC can be used to estimate BMI and detect nutritional disorders.