NUTRITIONAL ASSESSMENT OF 2 FAMINE PRONE ETHIOPIAN COMMUNITIES

Study objectives-To compare two ethnically distinct Ethiopian populati ons (Oromo Arsi in Elka in the Rift Valley and Anyuak in Punjido in Ga mbella) for two widely used anthropometric indices of protein-energy m alnutrition: body mass index < 18.5 and arm muscle circumference < 80% of the median of the US NHANES reference data. Design-Anthropometric measurements were made in two cross sectional community surveys. Setti ng-The Elka village in the central Rift Valley and the Punjido village in western Ethiopia. Participants-1170 and 560 people from all age gr oups in Elka and Punjido, respectively. Main results-Estimates of the prevalence of malnutrition in each group differed considerably when de fined from the body mass index, but were quite similar when the arm mu scle circumference was used. Data for children indicated that the boys and girls in one group (Punjido) were taller but had about the same w eights for age as those in the other group (Elka), suggesting that the low body mass indices among the Punjido might have a genetic basis. C onclusions-Body mass index systematically overestimates the prevalence of malnutrition among the Anyuaks in Punjido. Local reference data fr om a well nourished Anyuak sample or from an ethnically related popula tion is needed to evaluate appropriately malnutrition using the body m ass index. This study shows that care must be taken when assessing dif ferent ethnic groups using existing international anthropometric refer ences.