Skip to main content
PMC home page
Bulletin of the World Health Organization logoLink to Bulletin of the World Health Organization
. 1986;64(6):929–941.

Use and interpretation of anthropometric indicators of nutritional status*

WHO Working Group
PMCID: PMC2490974  PMID: 3493862

Abstract

Studies carried out during the last decade have led to a better understanding of the value of anthropometric indicators of nutritional status. The present report concentrates on data concerning 0-5-year-old children and examines the indices of weight and height and the biological significance of ”wasting” and ”stunting”. The need for a reference population as well as for a standard or target is recognized and the advantages and disadvantages of local versus international reference populations are discussed. In the analysis of data, preference is given to the use of standard deviation (SD) scores and to the presentation of whole distributions. Cut-offs, for example -2SD, are needed for comparison of prevalences and for screening of populations. Sequential or serial measurements and the increasing use of growth velocities are discussed and their uses and difficulties are outlined.

Full text

PDF
929

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Anderson M. A. Comparison of anthropometric measures of nutritional status in preschool children in five developing countries. Am J Clin Nutr. 1979 Nov;32(11):2339–2345. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/32.11.2339. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Ashworth A. Growth rates in children recovering from protein-calorie malnutrition. Br J Nutr. 1969 Nov;23(4):835–845. doi: 10.1079/bjn19690094. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Bairagi R. On best cutoff point for nutritional monitoring. Am J Clin Nutr. 1982 Apr;35(4):769–771. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/35.4.769. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Bhargava V., Chatterjee M., Prakash A., Bhatia B., Mishra A. Fetal growth variations--I. Influence of maternal size and nutrition on identification of fetal growth retardation. Indian Pediatr. 1983 Aug;20(8):549–559. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Chen L. C., Chowdhury A., Huffman S. L. Anthropometric assessment of energy-protein malnutrition and subsequent risk of mortality among preschool aged children. Am J Clin Nutr. 1980 Aug;33(8):1836–1845. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/33.8.1836. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Cole T. J., Parkin J. M. Infection and its effect on the growth of young children: a comparison of The Gambia and Uganda. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 1977;71(3):196–198. doi: 10.1016/0035-9203(77)90005-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Delgado H. L., Valverde V. E., Martorell R., Klein R. E. Relationship of maternal and infant nutrition to infant growth. Early Hum Dev. 1982 Jul;6(3):273–286. doi: 10.1016/0378-3782(82)90121-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Dowler E. A., Payne P. R., Seo Y. O., Thompson A. M., Wheeler E. F. Nutritional status indicators: interpretation and policy making role. Food Policy. 1982 May;7(2):99–112. doi: 10.1016/0306-9192(82)90043-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Dugdale A. E. A method of presenting longitudinal growth data. Br J Nutr. 1979 Jan;41(1):53–56. doi: 10.1079/bjn19790011. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Goldstein H., Tanner J. M. Ecological considerations in the creation and the use of child growth standards. Lancet. 1980 Mar 15;1(8168 Pt 1):582–585. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(80)91067-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Graitcer P. L., Gentry E. M. Measuring children: one reference for all. Lancet. 1981 Aug 8;2(8241):297–299. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(81)90538-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Habicht J. P., Martorell R., Yarbrough C., Malina R. M., Klein R. E. Height and weight standards for preschool children. How relevant are ethnic differences in growth potential? Lancet. 1974 Apr 6;1(7858):611–614. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(74)92663-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Habicht J. P. Some characteristics of indicators of nutritional status for use in screening and surveillance. Am J Clin Nutr. 1980 Mar;33(3):531–535. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/33.3.531. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Keller W., Fillmore C. M. Prevalence of protein-energy malnutrition. World Health Stat Q. 1983;36(2):129–167. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Kielmann A. A., McCord C. Weight-for-age as an index of risk of death in children. Lancet. 1978 Jun 10;1(8076):1247–1250. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(78)92478-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Mata L. J., Kronmal R. A., Urrutia J. J., Garcia B. Antenatal events and postnatal growth and survival of children in a rural Guatemalan village. Ann Hum Biol. 1976 Jul;3(4):303–315. doi: 10.1080/03014467600001531. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Pomerance H. H., Krall J. M. Linear regression to approximate longitudinal growth curves: revised standards for velocity of weight and length in infants. Pediatr Res. 1981 Oct;15(10):1390–1395. doi: 10.1203/00006450-198110000-00017. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Prader A. Catch-up growth. Postgrad Med J. 1978;54 (Suppl 1):133–146. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Rosso P. A new chart to monitor weight gain during pregnancy. Am J Clin Nutr. 1985 Mar;41(3):644–652. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/41.3.644. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Seoane N., Latham M. C. Nutritional anthropometry in the identification of malnutrition in childhood. J Trop Pediatr Environ Child Health. 1971 Sep;17(3):98–104. doi: 10.1093/tropej/17.3.98. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Soysa P. E., Waterlow J. C. Stunting and the prevalence of malnutrition. Lancet. 1981 Jun 27;1(8235):1430–1430. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(81)92617-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Valverde V., Delgado H., Martorell R., Belizán J. M., Mejía-Pivaral V., Klein R. E. Seasonality and nutritional status. A review of findings from developed and developing countries. Arch Latinoam Nutr. 1982 Sep;32(3):521–540. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Waterlow J. C., Ashworth A., Griffiths M. Faltering in infant growth in less-developed countries. Lancet. 1980 Nov 29;2(8205):1176–1178. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(80)92606-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Waterlow J. C., Buzina R., Keller W., Lane J. M., Nichaman M. Z., Tanner J. M. The presentation and use of height and weight data for comparing the nutritional status of groups of children under the age of 10 years. Bull World Health Organ. 1977;55(4):489–498. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Waterlow J. C. Classification and definition of protein-calorie malnutrition. Br Med J. 1972 Sep 2;3(5826):566–569. doi: 10.1136/bmj.3.5826.566. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Bulletin of the World Health Organization are provided here courtesy of World Health Organization

RESOURCES