The Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) rate in a population survey is 15%. According to WHO thresholds, this indicates:

• A Acceptable nutritional situation (<5% = acceptable)
• B Serious nutritional emergency requiring immediate large-scale intervention
• C Poor nutritional situation (10–14.9% threshold)
• D Critical nutritional emergency (>15% threshold) ✓

Explanation

WHO classifies GAM rates (weight-for-height Z-score < −2 SD or presence of oedema) as: < 5% = acceptable; 5–9.9% = poor; 10–14.9% = serious; ≥ 15% = critical emergency requiring urgent humanitarian nutritional intervention. A GAM of 15% reaches the critical threshold, triggering international humanitarian response protocols. At the district/state level in India, CMAM (Community-based Management of Acute Malnutrition) is scaled up at such rates.

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.