Using Mid-Upper Arm Circumference to Identify Thinness in Adolescent Girls in Ethiopia
Author Information
Author(s): Zebene Solome, Egata Gudina, Haile Demewoz
Primary Institution: Addis Ababa University
Hypothesis
This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) in identifying thinness among adolescent girls.
Conclusion
MUAC is an effective tool for predicting thinness and severe thinness among adolescent girls in resource-limited settings.
Supporting Evidence
- MUAC showed a strong positive correlation with BMI for age z-score (r = 0.80).
- MUAC cut-offs of 20.1 cm and 19.7 cm were identified for detecting thinness and severe thinness, respectively.
- MUAC demonstrated 92.1% sensitivity and 67.3% specificity for identifying moderate thinness.
Takeaway
The study shows that measuring the upper arm can help find out if young girls are too thin, which is important for their health.
Methodology
A cross-sectional study was conducted with 913 female adolescents, using stratified sampling and anthropometric measurements.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to the exclusion of adolescents with visible physical deformities.
Limitations
The study only included school-going female adolescents, which may not represent all adolescents in Ethiopia.
Participant Demographics
Participants were female adolescents aged 10-14 years, primarily from governmental schools in Addis Ababa.
Statistical Information
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website