Which anthropometric index measures low weight-for-height?

NORCERT 8 Mains-2025

Applied Nutrition & Dietetics

Easy

Appeared in: NORCERT 8 Mains-2025

Explanation

Wasting is the specific anthropometric index defined as low weight-for-height.
This measurement reflects a recent and severe failure to receive adequate nutrition, leading to weight loss or failure to gain weight.
It is a key indicator of acute malnutrition and is very sensitive to short-term changes in food availability or disease prevalence.
According to the WHO, a child with a weight-for-height Z-score below -2 standard deviations from the median is classified as wasted.

Option B: Stunting is defined as low height-for-age. It measures linear growth retardation, not the relationship between weight and height.
Option C: Underweight is defined as low weight-for-age. While it indicates a child is lighter than expected for their age, it is a composite measure and does not differentiate between a child who is thin (wasted) and a child who is short (stunted).
Option D: Head circumference-for-age is used to assess brain growth and development. It is not an index of nutritional status related to body weight or height.

Visual 1: Chart - A WHO growth chart for weight-for-height. This would visually demonstrate how a child's measurements are plotted against the standard curves to identify wasting (e.g., falling below the -2 SD line).
Visual 2: Infographic - A side-by-side comparison of three children: one showing signs of wasting (very thin), one with stunting (short for their age), and one who is healthy. This helps to visually differentiate the physical manifestations of these conditions.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Definitions of anthropometric indices for nutritional assessment as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Accurate identification of wasting is a critical nursing skill in pediatric and community health settings, as it signals a need for urgent nutritional intervention to prevent severe illness and death.
Nurses must educate caregivers on appropriate feeding practices, especially during and after illness, to prevent the rapid onset of wasting.
Wasting is a medical emergency. Children identified with severe acute malnutrition (severe wasting) require immediate referral for specialized care, which may include therapeutic feeding programs.

How to Approach the Question

First, break down the question to its core components: it asks for the specific 'anthropometric index' that corresponds to 'low weight-for-height'.
Recall the standard definitions for the primary pediatric nutritional indices.
Evaluate each option against the definition 'low weight-for-height':
Wasting: Is this low weight-for-height? Yes, this is the exact definition.
Stunting: Is this low weight-for-height? No, this is low height-for-age.
Underweight: Is this low weight-for-height? No, this is low weight-for-age.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Definitions of anthropometric indices for nutritional assessment.
Stem keywords: anthropometric index, low weight-for-height
Lead-in keywords: Which
Negative lead-in flag: false

QypJriK7FlrrJfYqZU_beK