Muac
MUAC (English for Mid-Upper Arm Circumference ) is a rapid test for children used to determine a child's nutritional status. The MUAC test is carried out using a special bracelet that measures the circumference of the upper arm in children between 1 and 5 years of age. The MUAC tape has a green, a yellow and a red area. The green area goes from 21 centimeters to 12.5 centimeters upper arm circumference. The yellow area from 12.5 centimeters to 11 centimeters and the red area is below 11 centimeters.
- Green area: adequate nutritional status
- Yellow area: moderate malnutrition
- Red area: acute malnutrition
The MUAC test is particularly suitable when a large group of children has to be examined, for example before they are admitted to a refugee camp. Efforts are being made to extend this test to adults as well. In this case, the green area is defined as larger than 18.5 centimeters. The yellow area is between 18.5 centimeters and 16.0 centimeters. A value smaller than 16.0 centimeters is considered the red area. The MUAC tape is placed on the upper arm, in the middle between shoulder and elbow. The MUAC test can also be carried out by trained assistants and enables a quick overview of the nutritional status of a large group of people.
The MUAC test is used by aid organizations such as Doctors Without Borders , Caritas , Diakonie , German Doctors , the Red Cross , World Vision and UN organizations such as WHO , UNICEF and UNHCR .