MUAC is a quick and simple tool that is used to detect severe malnutrition, especially during emergencies using a simple coloured plastic strip. It is predominately used to measure the upper arm circumference of 6-59 months old children and pregnant women to identify malnutrition. There are different types of MUAC tape available. All are graduated in millimetres and some are colour coded (red, yellow and green) to indicate the nutritional status of a child or adult. The colour codes and gradations vary depending on the tape type.
The most appropriate MUAC tape to use would be the tapes that use the latest WHO Growth Standards cut-offs for acute malnutrition. These are the tapes that have three colours (red, yellow, green) with colour cut-offs at 115 mm and 125 mm. The MUAC tapes should also be precise up to 1 mm. The material for the MUAC tape needs to be flexible but non-stretchable. Only a single measurer is required to measure the MUAC of a child. If with an assistant is available, he/she records the MUAC measurement.
Steps in measuring MUAC:
- When measuring MUAC, ensure work at eye level. Sit down when possible. Very young children can be held by their mother during this procedure. Ask the mother to remove clothing that may cover the child’s left arm.
- Measurerlocates the midpoint of the child’s left upper arm by first locating the tip of the child’s shoulder with finger tips. It is the area between the tip of the shoulder and the tip of the elbow.
- Bend the child’s elbow to make a right angle and place the tape at zero, which is indicated by two arrows, on the tip of the shoulder and pull the tape straight down past the tip of the elbow.
- Read the number at the tip of the elbow to the nearest centimetre. Calculate the midpoint of the child’s left upper arm, mark with a pen.
- Measurerstraightens the child’s arm and wraps the tape around the arm at midpoint. Make sure the numbers are right side up. Make sure the tape is flat around the skin, not too tight and not too loose.
- Read the measurement through the window at the end of the tape and record it to the nearest 0.1 cm.
ZDN DMO II Rowence Zorilla, RND
References:
1. Mid-Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) Measuring Tapes
https://www.unicef.org/supply/media/1421/file/mid-upper-arm-circumference-measuring-tapes-technical-bulletin.pdf
2. A simple tool to detect severe malnutrition: the MUAC tape
https://www.unicef.org/supply/simple-tool-detect-severe-malnutrition-muac-tape
