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Summary
In this Unit, you have learnt what malnutrition means, the types of malnutrition, classification of acute malnutrition, and how to determine acute malnutrition.
Think about your answers to the following questions. Then click each question to reveal the answer.
Think about your answers to the following questions. Then click each question to reveal the answer.
Q1. What is malnutrition?
The term describes both over and undernutrition but it is mainly used to describe undernutrition and refers to short or long term exposure to inadequate nutrition and/or disease, which leads to wasting, stunting, underweight or oedema.
Q2. Identify the types of malnutrition.
Malnutrition can be either chronic or acute. Chronic and acute malnutrition can be either severe or moderate.
Q3. What indices and clinical signs are used to assess malnutrition?
The indices for assessing malnutrition are weight-for-height, weight-for-age and height-for-age. Bilateral pitting oedema (swelling) is a clinical sign of acute malnutrition.
Q4. Classify acute malnutrition and describe each category briefly.
Acute malnutrition can be severe or moderate. SAM refers to weight-for-height below -3SD, MUAC <115 mm or bilateral pitting oedema. Moderate acute malnutrition is defined as weight-for-height between -2 and -3SD or MUAC between 115 and 125mm.
Q5. What is the WHO growth standard and how is it used to determine the severity of acute malnutrition?
It is an international standard that represents the growth of healthy children from birth to five years of age. It provides average (median) values and standard deviations (SD) from the median. A child with a value <-2SD is outside the normal range. Moderate acute malnutrition is a weight-for-height between <-2SD and -3SD. Severe acute malnutrition is a weight-for-height <-3SD.
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