Malnutrition and the immune response. 1. Malnutrition in the community: recent concepts

Anthropometric indicators have long been used to define the nutritional status of children although anthropometric studies of adult nutritional status have been accorded low priority. As a result, the nutritional status of a community is largely based on estimates of childhood undernutrition alone. The prevalence of adult undernutrition is also variably estimated since objective measures of adult undernutrition are not applied. Body mass index may provide an ideal method for filling this gap since this simple anthropometric index well reflects the physiological, social and economic consequences of adult undernutrition in a community. It also enables assessment of the impact of intervention strategies aimed at developmental or public health outcomes in population groups world-wide.