Common to both acute and chronic malnutrition is
Weight for age 1/*1: Indian academy of pediatrics 3r1/e p 127: O.P. Ghai pedia 7thle p. 62 (confirmed by WHO book on malnutrition)] Height is affected only in chronic malnutrition. "A child can loose weight but not height". Loss in weight can be seen in both acute and chronic malnutrition. Indicators of malnutrition Indicator Interpretation * Stunting Low height for age Indicator for chronic malnutrition, the result of prolonged food deprivation and/or disease or illness * Wasting Low weight for height Suggests acute malnutrition, the result of more recent food deficit or illness * Under weight Low weight for age Combined indicator to reflect both acute and chronic malnutrition More explanation is needed for weight for height. Weight for height is the ratio of the patients actual weight to ideal weight for the patients height. When acute medical condition results in sho term nutritional deprivement the body weight is depleted out of propoional to the length for height and the weight for height value is low. Conversely chronic malnutrition affects both weight gain and linear growth resulting in a small child with a body weight that is more propoional to length, So weight Jar height cannot diagnose chronic malnutrition. Weight for age If there is acute malnutrition there will be weight loss. Weight loss will occur in chronic malnutrition to. So weight for age decreases in both acute and chronic malnutrition. But it can not distinguish between acute and chronic malnutrition. B.M.I I don't have much information regarding BMI. I am not sure if BM1 is used in children below 12 years. Please check this out from your own sources. The common anthropometric measurements used are: weight, Lengthlheight Arm circumference Skinfold thickness Chest circumference. - These are one time measurement and can assess only acute malnutrition. They cannot be used for chronic malnutrition
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