Mid upper arm circumference (MUAC) | Chapter 5 | Nutrition and Dietetics

Mid upper arm circumference (MUAC) – This book covers the entire syllabus of “Nutrition and Dietetics” prescribed by BNMC-for all Diploma in Nursing Science and Midwifery students. We tried to accommodate latest information and topics. This book is examination friendly setup according to the teachers’ lectures and examination’s questions. At the end of the book previous university questions are given. We hope in touch with the book students’ knowledge will be upgraded and flourished. The unique way of presentation may make your reading of the book a pleasurable experience.

Mid upper arm circumference (MUAC)

Mid-Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) is the circumference of the left upper arm, measured at the mid-point between the tip of the shoulder and the tip of the elbow (olecranon process and the acromium).

Importance/Advantages of Mid-Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) screening

• It is simple and cheap. It can be used by service providers at different contact points without greatly increasing their workload and it can be effectively used by community- based people for active case finding.
• It is more sensitive. MUAC is a better indicator of mortality risk associated with malnutrition than Weight-for-Height. It is therefore a better measure to identify children most in need of treatment.
• It is less prone to mistakes. Comparative studies have shown that MUAC is subject to fewer errors than Weight-for-Height (Myatt et al, 2006).
• It increases the link with the beneficiary community. MUAC screening allows service providers from peripheral health units and from the community to refer children with acute malnutrition to therapeutic or supplementary feeding programs. The MUAC colour coding is easy to understand for the child’s care-taker.

Measuring the MUAC of children

A special tape is used for measuring the MUAC of a child (see Figure 2.3). The tape has three colours, with the red indicating severe acute malnutrition, the yellow indicating moderate acute malnutrition and the green indicating normal nutritional status. Figure 2.4 shows you how to use the tape to measure a child’s MUAC.

Figure 2.4 Measuring MUAC.

Procedures for measuring MUAC

• Ask the mother to remove any clothing that may cover the child’s left arm. If possible, the child should stand erect and sideways to the measurer.
• Estimate the midpoint of the left upper arm (arrow 6).
• Straighten the child’s arm and wrap the tape around the arm at the midpoint. Make sure the numbers are right side up. Make sure the tape is flat around the skin (arrow 7).
• Inspect the tension of the tape on the child’s arm. Make sure the tape has the proper tension (arrow 7) and is not too tight or too loose (arrows 8 and 9). Repeat any step as
  necessary.
• When the tape is in the correct position on the arm with correct tension, read the measurement to the nearest 0.1 cm (arrow 10).
• Immediately record the measurement.

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