Tag: Bmi alternative

According to a 2024 study published on PubMed Central, Mid-Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) is highly correlated with Body Mass Index (BMI) and offers several advantages, such as ease of measurement, for assessing adult nutritional status. This confirms that is MUAC used in adults and its application goes far beyond the pediatric populations where it is traditionally recognized.

Globally, over 1.9 billion adults were affected by overweight in 2016, with millions more suffering from undernutrition. Given these statistics, accurate nutritional screening tools are vital, and the question is MUAC used for adults? The answer is yes, as a practical and reliable indicator for assessing nutritional status in various clinical and community settings.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), malnutrition is a significant contributing factor to nearly half of all deaths in children under five years old globally. This staggering statistic underscores the critical need for effective screening tools, which is precisely why we measure mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC). This simple, rapid, and low-cost measurement provides a reliable indicator of nutritional status, especially in emergency and field settings.