ARM MUSCLE AND FAT AREAS VS WEIGHT LENGTH RATIO IN THE ASSESSMENT OF PROTEIN-ENERGY MALNUTRITION

A cross-sectional sample was examined of 68 male and 63 female malnour ished Egyptian children, 1-3 years of age, attending the Malnutrition Unit of the Children's Hospital of Cairo University. Body weight, leng th, left mid-upper arm circumference, and the triceps skinfold thickne ss were measured. Arm muscle and fat areas were calculated as was the weight for length ratio. Comparisons were attempted between arm muscle and fat areas and weight/age, length/age, and weight/length ratios re lative to the clinical picture of protein energy malnutrition (PEM). T he results revealed that arm muscle area is a better diagnostic indica tor of PEM, particularly in boys, whereas the weight/length ratio is a better choice for girls. Although arm fat area is a very sensitive in dicator of energy deficit, it cannot serve alone as an adequate index of general nutritional status. (C) 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.