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Updated: Jul 24, 2025
Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
Published on: February 2, 2017
Development and Validation of a Weight Estimation Tool for Acutely Ill Children Who Cannot be Weighed
Kritika Setlur1, Jhuma Sankar1, Umesh Kapil2
1Department of Pediatrics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi, 110029, India.
Objectives:
To develop and validate weight estimation tools using mid upper arm circumference (MUAC) and body length, and determine accuracy and precision of Broselow tape in children 6 mo to 15 y of age.
Methods:
Data of 18,456 children aged 6 mo to 5 y and 1420 children aged 5 to 15 y were used to develop linear regression equations using length and MUAC to estimate weight. These were validated on prospectively enrolled populations of 276 and 312 children, respectively. Accuracy was measured by Bland-Altman bias, median percentage errors, and percentage of predicted weight within 10% of true weight. Broselow tape was tested on the validation population.
Results:
Gender specific equations were developed which estimated weight within 10% of true weight in 69.9% (64.1-75.2%) and 65.7% (60.1-70.9%) of children aged 6 mo to 5 y, and 5 to 15 y, respectively. Broselow tape predicted weight within 10% of the true weight in 40.5% (34.7-46.6%) and 32.5% (26.7-38.7%) of children aged 6 mo to 5 y and 5 to 15 y, respectively.
Conclusions:
The model developed from MUAC and length accurately estimated weight in children aged 6 mo to 15 y, and is potentially useful during emergencies. The Broselow tape frequently overestimated weight in authors' setting.
