Mid upper arm and calf circumferences as indicators of nutritional status in women of reproductive age

ABSTRACT

Mid upper arm circumference [MUAC] is recognized as an effective means of screening for poor nutritional status in adults. The efficacy of calf circumference [CC] as a screening tool, however, is not well reported. We studied 2000 healthy women [age range 15-49 years] in Mashed, Islamic Republic of Iran, to assess anthropometric measurements at reproductive age and the usefulness of MUAC and CC for estimating body mass index [BMI] and screening of women at nutritional risk. We found a strong correlation between MUAC and CC with weight and BMI, suggesting that MUAC and CC can be used to estimate BMI and detect nutritional disorders