Abstract:
Background: Body Mass Index (BMI) is the most commonly used anthropometric
method for assessing nutritional status. However, it is affected by multiple factors that
are limiting its application in low resource settings. Mid-Upper Arm Circumference
(MUAC) is found to solve most of the limitations of BMI. However, due to a lack of
sufficient studies, the correlation between MUAC and BMI as well as the MUAC
cutoffs corresponding to BMI cutoffs for adolescents has not been established.
Objective: To determine the correlation between MUAC and BMI as a tool for
detecting nutritional status among adolescents in selected public and private schools in
Gullele sub-city, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia,2024.
Methods: A school based cross-sectional study was conducted among 616 adolescents
(15-19 age) from May-June 2024. A multistage stratified random sampling technique
was used. A structured questionnaire was applied with Anthropometric measurements.
Pearson correlation coefficient (r) was analyzed to determine the correlation between
MUAC and BMI for age-z-score (BAZ). Receiver operating characteristic curve
(ROCC) was analyzed to determine MUAC cut-offs with Sensitivity and specificity.
Result: A total of 616 participants were interviewed and measured. MUAC showed
strong positive correlation with BAZ (r=0·69; 95% CI P<0.001). The AUROCC to
identify overweight was 0.89 (95% CI: 0.864, 0·935) with a MUAC cut-off point >
25.7 cm, sensitivity =90.5% and specificity =79.7%. Likewise, the AUROCC to
identify thinness was 0.86 (95% CI: 0.813, 0·897) with a MUAC cut-off point < 23.1
cm, sensitivity =86.7% and specificity =70.9%.
Conclusions: MUAC showed a strong positive correlation with BMI-Z score and good
accuracy to identify both overweight and thinness among 15–19 years old adolescents.
Hence, MUAC can be used as a potential alternative diagnostic tool for identification
of overweight and thinness among adolescents aged 15–19 years.
