Diagnostic criteria for severe malnutrition

Malnutrition occurs in children, mostly due to improper diet. If a person fails to take in the proper amount, type and quality of nutrients for a long time, malnutrition will occur. If it is not treated for a long time, it will cause severe malnutrition. If you have symptoms such as low weight, slow growth and emaciation, be careful that it is severe malnutrition.
Although people's material living standards have improved, malnutrition still occurs, causing certain harm to people's physical health. Therefore, everyone should learn more about the symptoms of malnutrition in order to better diagnose this disease. So, what are the diagnostic criteria for severe malnutrition?

Type and Grading
1. Underweight: The child's weight for age and gender is lower than the normal variation range of the reference population of the same age and gender. If it is lower than the median minus 2 standard deviations, but higher than or equal to the median minus 3 standard deviations, it is moderate; if it is lower than the median minus 3 standard deviations, it is severe. This indicator mainly reflects whether the child has chronic and/or acute malnutrition in the past and/or present, but this indicator alone cannot distinguish between acute and chronic malnutrition.
2. Stunting: The height of a child for his/her age and gender is lower than the normal range of variation of the reference population of the same age and gender. If it is lower than the median minus 2 standard deviations, but higher than or equal to the median minus 3 standard deviations, it is moderate; if it is lower than the median minus 3 standard deviations, it is severe. This indicator mainly reflects past or long-term chronic malnutrition.
3. Wasting: The height, sex and weight of a child are lower than the normal variation range of the reference population of the same age and sex. If it is lower than the median minus 2 standard deviations, but higher than or equal to the median minus 3 standard deviations, it is moderate; if it is lower than the median minus 3 standard deviations, it is severe. This indicator mainly reflects the child's recent and acute malnutrition.
Clinically, it is divided into three degrees: degree I: weight loss of 15% to 25%, abdominal skin fold thickness of 0.8cm to 0.4cm; degree II: weight loss of 25% to 40%, abdominal skin fold thickness of 40%, and disappearance of abdominal skin folds.