MID-UPPER ARM CIRCUMFERENCE CHARTS FOR LIBYAN PRESCHOOL CHILDREN

Abstract

Mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) has been used as alternative indicator of nutritional status, if the collection
of weight and height was difficult, such as during emergency, famine, or refuge crises. The aim of this study is to
construction new arm circumferences charts for Libyan Preschool Children to use as screening tool in nutritional
assessment. Data were taken from two cross-sectional studies carried out in 3 regions of western part of Libya
(Tripoli, Al jafarh and Al-Jabel Al-Gharbi) between the years 2000 and 2010 by the principle author and his team
following World Health Organization (WHO) methodology. A simple random sampling technique was used to obtain participants from MCH centers, kindergartens and the delivery section of obstetric hospitals. A sample of 2014
Libyan preschool children from both sexes were recruited from different places in Libya. Selected percentiles (P3,
P10, P25, P50, P75, P90, and P97) are presented for boys and girls of under five years according to age. New
MUAC charts were made for Libyan preschool children, to provide health workers in Libya with tool that should be
useful in screening or as a clinical and research tool for adequacy of growth during the first five years of life in
Libya