Mid-Upper Arm Circumference: Simplifying Maternal Nutritional Status Assessment - A Secondary Data Analysis from Nutrition Rehabilitation Centres.

Abstract

Background:

 Maternal undernutrition is a major global public health issue, linked to increased morbidity and mortality for both mothers and children. It contributes to an intergenerational cycle of malnutrition, where maternal health directly affects child health. In India, Nutrition Rehabilitation Centres (NRCs) offer residential care for children with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) and also address maternal malnutrition, anaemia, and related co-morbidities.

Aims & Objectives:

1. To assess the nutritional status of mothers of SAM children attending NRCs of Sambalpur district.
2. To evaluate MUAC as a simpler alternative tool to detect maternal malnutrition in comparison to BMI.

Settings and Design:

 Record-based study conducted at NRCs of Sambalpur District.

Materials And Methods:  Data was conducted from June to August 2023 at NRCs in Sambalpur district, documenting anthropometric details of mothers of SAM children at admission by Nutrition Counsellor.

Statistical analysis used: Data was entered into MS Excel and analysed using SPSS version 21. The association between MUAC and BMI was evaluated using simple linear regression.

Results:

 Out of the 935 mothers registered at NRC Burla and Sambalpur, 30.5% had short stature (<145 cm), while 34.0% and 49.7% were classified as thin based on BMI and MUAC, respectively.

Conclusion:

Over 60% of mothers of SAM children were malnourished, with 34% thin and 14.5% severely thin, underscoring the need for focused maternal nutrition support.

Key Words: Maternal undernutrition, Nutrition Rehabilitation Centres, severe acute malnutrition, Anthropometric

Key Messages: Identifying NRC as a potential platform to detect and correct maternal malnutrition as a routine practice.