MID-UPPER-ARM CIRCUMFERENCE (MUAC) IN RELATION TO OTHER INDEXES OF NUTRITIONAL-STATUS IN PAPUA-NEW-GUINEA

Mid-upper-arm circumference (MUAC) measurements made during the 1982-1983 National Nutrition Survey were compared to other anthropometric indices of nutritional status and it was found that MUAC was a poor predictor of the other measures. Whilst this does not necessarily imply that MUAC cannot be used to identify children at high risk it is one of a number of considerations which limit its utility in Papua New Guinea. Low MUAC measurements were particularly common in middle-altitude zones, where malnutrition is more frequent; this suggests that MUAC may be more useful in identifying malnourished groups than individuals.