Mid-Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) is used for nutritional screening in children aged 6–59 months. A MUAC of <__ cm (red zone) indicates severe acute malnutrition (SAM):

• A <11.5 cm ✓
• B <12.5 cm
• C <11.0 cm
• D <13.5 cm

Explanation

WHO/UNICEF thresholds for MUAC in children 6–59 months: Red zone (<11.5 cm) = Severe Acute Malnutrition; Yellow zone (11.5–12.4 cm) = Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM); Green zone (≥12.5 cm) = normal. These cut-offs are used in community-based management of acute malnutrition (CMAM) programmes including those in India under RUTF (Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food) protocols. MUAC <11.5 cm requires inpatient or therapeutic feeding programme referral; MAM (yellow) receives supplementary feeding.

Reference: Park's Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine, 27th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.