Moderate acute malnutrition (MAM)

Prevalence rate (%) of moderate acute malnutrition in children 6 to 59 months of age based on presence of weight-for-height z-score less than -2 and equal or greater than -3 standard deviations of the median of the standard population (WHO 2006)

Unit Description

Percentage

Numerator

Number of children aged 6-59 months that meet the criteria for moderate acute malnutrition

Denominator

Total number of children aged 6-59 months surveyed

Disaggregation

Geographical area, age, sex

Indicator used for response monitoring ?

Yes

Types

Baseline

Outcome

Threshold / Standard

No standard WHO thresholds; this indicator cut-off should be interpreted in consideration of other indicators including morbidity, mortality and proportion of GAM

General guidance

Should be based on a methodologically solid anthropometric nutrition survey finding and include Confidence Intervals

Guidance on phases

preparatory; Phase III and IV

Phase applicability

Pre-crisis/Baseline

Phase 3

Phase 4

Guidance for pre-crisis/baseline

Prevalence easy to derive by subtracting SAM from GAM

Data Sources

Population-based surveys with representative sampling methods (MICS, DHS, SMART)

Comments

Note that WFH and MUAC do not measure the same things and are not comparable. Data on the moderate acute malnutrition rate should be compared by sex in order to identify any specific discrimination girls or boys might face in accessing nutrition. In case there is an important difference between the percentage of girls and the percentage of boys suffering from malnutrition, the programme should address these gaps by undertaking a gender analysis of the specific challenges the disadvantaged group is facing in equally accessing nutrition, including an analysis of the socio cultural habits and beliefs that might differently impact on girls' and boys' nutritional well being.