Table 2.
WHO classification for assessing severity of malnutrition rates by prevalence thresholds
| Indicator | Very low | Low | Medium | High | Very High |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Wasting | |||||
| Old* | – | < 5 (acceptable) | 5–9 (poor) | 10–14 (serious) | ≥15 (critical) |
| New** | < 2.5 | 2.5–5 | 5- < 10 | 10- < 15 | ≥15 |
| % Stuntinga | |||||
| Old* | – | < 20 (acceptable) | 20–29 (poor) | 30–39 (serious) | ≥40 (critical) |
| New** | < 2.5 | 2.5- < 10 | 10- < 20 | 20- < 30 | ≥30 |
| %Overweight** | < 2.5 | 2.5–5 | 5- < 10 | 10- < 15 | ≥15 |
Sources:* WHO Nutrition Landscape Information System (NLIS): Interpretation Guide (2010), p2 and Module 10, p19. Available from http://www.who.int/nutrition/nlis_interpretation_guide.pdf; Prudhon C. Module 10 Nutrition information and surveillance systems. In: The harmonized training package: resource material for training on nutrition in emergencies. Version 2. Oxford: Nutrition Works, Emergency Nutrition Network, Global Nutrition Cluster; 2011. ** Onis M De, Borghi E, Arimond M, Webb P, Croft T, Saha K, et al. (2018). Prevalence thresholds for wasting, overweight and stunting in children under 5 years. Public Health Nutrition