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[Arm circumference as an indicator of the malnutrition risk in preschoolers]
M de los A Marín-Flores1, M del C González-Perales, M E Alonso-Ramírez
1Secretaría de Salud, México.
Insights
The CIMDER strip effectively assesses child malnutrition, showing high sensitivity and specificity when compared to the Gómez classification for weight-for-age. This tool aids in identifying nutritional status in children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Nutrition Science
Background:
- Child malnutrition remains a significant global health issue, particularly in developing regions.
- Accurate and accessible screening tools are crucial for early detection and intervention.
- The CIMDER strip is a low-cost diagnostic tool developed for nutritional assessment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To validate the CIMDER strip's diagnostic accuracy.
- To determine the sensitivity and specificity of the CIMDER strip in a Mexican child population.
- To compare CIMDER strip results with established nutritional assessment standards.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 575 children aged 41-71 months in Tláhuac, Mexico City.
- Children were assessed using the CIMDER strip, categorizing them by color (red, yellow, green).
- CIMDER strip results were compared against the Gómez classification and National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) percentiles.
Main Results:
- The CIMDER strip demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity when compared to the Gómez weight-for-age classification.
- When compared to NCHS percentiles for weight-for-height and weight-for-age, the strip showed high sensitivity but low specificity.
- Distribution of children by CIMDER strip color: 16.2% red, 37.9% yellow, 45.9% green.
Conclusions:
- The CIMDER strip is a sensitive and specific tool for assessing child malnutrition, particularly when using the Gómez weight-for-age classification.
- Further research may be needed to improve specificity when compared to NCHS percentile standards.
- The CIMDER strip shows promise as a valuable screening tool in community-based child health programs.
Abstract:
The purpose of the study was to validate the CIMDER strip to determine it's sensitivity and specificity comparing different children groups in Tláhuac, a Mexico City county, according to the strip color related to weight/age, height/age and weight/height. Five hundred and seventy five children between 41 and 71 months old were measured using the CIMDER strip. They fell in the following ranges: 16.2 per cent (93 children) were red, 37.9 per cent (218 children) were yellow and 45.9 per cent (264 children) were green. Results showed that when related to Gómez classification for weight/age, CIMDER strip presented high sensitivity and specificity. When related to National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) percentiles table for weight/height and weight/age, it presented high sensitivity but low specificity.