Which of the following types of malnutrition describes low weight-for-height?

Appeared in: MP NHM CHO-2024 (Shift-1)

Explanation

Wasting is the specific term used to describe low weight-for-height in children.
This condition is an indicator of acute malnutrition, meaning it reflects a recent and severe process of weight loss.
It is often caused by a period of starvation or a severe disease, such as diarrhea, that has occurred recently.
A child with wasting will appear visibly thin or emaciated.

Option B: Stunting refers to low height-for-age, not low weight-for-height.
Option C: Underweight refers to low weight-for-age. While a wasted child is often underweight, this term is a composite measure and does not specifically describe the relationship between weight and height.
Option D: This describes micronutrient malnutrition, which is a deficiency of essential vitamins and minerals. It is not defined by anthropometric measurements like weight and height.

Visual 1: Infographic - A side-by-side comparison showing the physical appearance of a healthy child, a stunted child (short for age), and a wasted child (thin for height).
Visual 2: Chart - A WHO weight-for-height growth chart (Z-score chart) illustrating the curves for normal, moderate wasting (below -2 SD), and severe wasting (below -3 SD).

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Classification of Undernutrition as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Differentiating between wasting, stunting, and underweight is crucial for nurses to plan appropriate interventions. Wasting requires urgent therapeutic feeding and treatment for acute illnesses, while stunting requires long-term nutritional support and addressing underlying chronic conditions.
In community health settings, nurses use mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) as a rapid screening tool to identify wasting in children between 6 months and 5 years of age.
What if? If a child presents with low weight-for-age (underweight), the nurse must take a height measurement. This is critical to determine if the child is wasted (low weight-for-height), stunted (low height-for-age), or both, which will guide the management plan.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key phrase in the question stem: 'low weight-for-height'.
Next, recall the standard definitions for the different types of undernutrition provided in the options.
Match the key phrase 'low weight-for-height' to its correct definition. Wasting is defined as low weight-for-height.
Differentiate this from stunting (low height-for-age) and underweight (low weight-for-age) to confirm the correct answer and rule out the distractors.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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Practise the full MP NHM CHO-2024 (Shift-1)

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