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Updated: May 29, 2026
Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
Published on: February 2, 2017
Assessment of the nutritional status of children aged 5-12 years using upper arm composition
Jaydip Sen1, Nitish Mondal, Sima Dey
1Department of Anthropology, University of North Bengal, PO NBU, Raja Rammohunpur, Siliguri, Dist., Darjeeling-734 013, West Bengal, India. jaydipsen@rediffmail.com
Insights
This study found that upper arm muscle area (UMA) and upper arm fat area (UFA) measurements, particularly upper arm muscle area by height (UAMAH), reveal high rates of under-nutrition, stunting, and wasting in children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Anthropometry
- Public Health
Background:
- Upper arm muscle area (UMA) and upper arm fat area (UFA) are emerging indicators for assessing child nutritional status.
- Traditional nutritional assessments can be complemented by these upper arm measurements.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess child nutritional status using UMA and UFA.
- To evaluate the suitability of upper arm muscle area by height (UAMAH) for identifying child under-nutrition, including stunting and wasting.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 1248 children aged 5-12 years from West Bengal, India.
- Anthropometric measurements including height, weight, mid-upper arm circumference, and triceps skin-fold were collected.
- Nutritional status was assessed using UMA, UFA, and UAMAH, with percentile curves derived using the least median square method.
Main Results:
- Mean age-specific UMA, UFA, and UAMAH values for both boys and girls were significantly below the 5th percentile.
- A high proportion of children were identified as under-nourished using UAMAH (boys: 91.28%, girls: 88.55%).
- High prevalence rates of stunting (boys: 39.74%, girls: 41.49%) and wasting (boys: 19.55%, girls: 15.74%) were observed.
Conclusions:
- The combined use of UMA, UFA, and UAMAH, alongside conventional nutritional indices, is effective for assessing child under-nutrition.
- These upper arm measurements provide valuable insights into the nutritional status of children, particularly in identifying under-nutrition, stunting, and wasting.
Background:
Upper arm muscle area (UMA) and upper arm fat area (UFA) were introduced for assessment of child nutritional status.
Aim:
This cross-sectional study assesses child nutritional status using UMA and UFA. It also evaluates the suitability of upper arm muscle area by height (UAMAH) for assessing child under-nutrition with respect to stunting and wasting.
Subjects And Methods:
The study was conducted among 1248 children (619 boys; 629 girls) aged 5-12 years belonging to the Bengalee Muslim Population of West Bengal, India. Anthropometric measurements of height, weight, mid-upper arm circumference and triceps skin-fold were recorded. Nutritional status was assessed using UMA, UFA and UAMAH. Percentile curves were derived using the least median square method.
Results:
Mean age specific values of UMA, UFA and UAMAH of boys and girls were markedly below the 5th percentile. Using UAMAH, a very high proportion of children (boys, 91.28%; girls, 88.55%) were found to be under-nourished. Prevalence of stunting (boys, 39.74%; girls, 41.49%) and wasting (boys, 19.55%; girls, 15.74%) were also found to be high.
Conclusion:
The combination of UMA, UFA, UAMAH and conventional nutritional indices appear to be useful for assessment of child under-nutrition.
