Moderate acute malnutrition based on MUAC

Prevalence rate (%) children 6-59 months with MUAC less than 125 mm but equal or more than 115 mm

Unit Description

Percentage

Numerator

Number of children aged 6-59 months that meet the criteria for moderate wasting based on MUAC

Denominator

Total number of children aged 6-59 months surveyed

Disaggregation

Geographical area, age, sex

Indicator used for response monitoring ?

Yes

Types

Baseline

Outcome

General guidance

When possible to use representative survey, alternatively - rapid nutrition assessment with smaller number of children can give you a idea of the situation - but these findings from a rapid nutrition assessment - with small numbers of children need to be treated with caution and should NOT be presented as prevalence but as number of children

Guidance on phases

Phase I,II; added to surveys Phase III,IV

Phase applicability

Phase 1

Phase 2

Phase 3

Phase 4

Guidance for pre-crisis/baseline

Prevalence easy to derive by subtracting Proportion of severe wasting based on low MUAC from Proportion of wasting based on low MUAC

Data Sources

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