Malnutrition Study Reveals Inconclusive Results for Mid-Upper Arm Circumference as Tool for Thinness Assessment

Strategic Insights -

A recent study conducted at Makerere University College of Health Sciences has shed light on the effectiveness of mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) as a method for assessing thinness in children aged 5-9 years. The research, which analyzed data from 767 children, found that MUAC showed a low diagnostic performance in assessing thinness, despite its convenience as an assessment tool.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study was conducted at Makerere University College of Health Sciences and involved 767 children aged 5-9 years.
  • The research found that MUAC had a sensitivity of 22.7% and specificity of 97.3% in assessing acute malnutrition.
  • The positive predictive value of MUAC was 34.5%, while the negative predictive value was 95.4%.
  • The area under the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve was 0.30, indicating that MUAC was a poor assessment tool for thinness.
  • The study highlights the need for more research on the correct MUAC cut-offs for children aged 5-9 years.

Statistics:

  • 51.5% of the children in the study were female.
  • The mean age of the children was 7.2 years, with a standard deviation of 1.6 years.
  • 1% of the children had severe acute malnutrition (SAM), while 2.7% had moderate acute malnutrition (MAM).
  • The study involved data from 3 health facilities in Kampala district.

Sources:

  • "Validity of mid-upper arm circumference in assessing thinness among older children aged 5-9 years: a cross-sectional study." BMC Pediatrics, 2025,25(1):1-7. (BMC Pediatrics - https://bmcpediatr.biomedcentral.com).
  • World Disease Weekly, October 21, 2025; p 70.