Nutritional Assessment of Children Aged Twelve to Fifty Nine Months with Diarrhoea, Using Mid-upper-arm Circumference (MUAC)

Abstract

Background: Protein energy malnutrition is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in children between the ages of 12 and 59 months and diarrhoea has been shown to have a bi-directional relationship with malnutrition. Mid upper arm circumference ({MUAC}) has been shown to be a useful indicator of malnutrition in children aged 12 to 59 months. Objective: To determine the nutritional status of children aged 12 to 59 months with diarrhoea using mid upper arm circumference ({MUAC}). Method: Over a 6 month period, all children aged 12 to 59 months who presented to the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital ({NDUTH}) with diarrhoea were consecutively recruited into the study. Information on their ages, diarrhoeal type, duration and frequency as well as parental educational level and occupation were obtained and recorded into a proforma. {MUACs} were measured and recorded to the nearest 0.1cm.