TY - JOUR ID - TI - Evaluation of malnutrition using some anthropometric measures at Kirkuk Pediatric General hospital AU - Roa M. Hameed( AU - Abdeljabbar Jameel AU - Ahmed H. AL-Ani PY - 2018 VL - 24 IS - 2 SP - 113 EP - 125 JO - The Medical Journal of Tikrit University المجلة الطبية لجامعة تكريت SN - 18131638 AB - ABSTRACT: Background Worldwide, malnutrition is common and is responsible directly or indirectly for about a third of all deaths of children under 5 years of age. Primary malnutrition also continues to occur in developing countries as a result of poverty, parental neglect or poor education. Specific nutritional deficiencies, particularly of iron, remain also common in developing countries. Restrictive diets may be iatrogenic as a result of exclusion diets or parental food fads, or may be self-inflicted. Aim of The Study: This study was done to determine the role of Head to Chest Ratio as screening test in early detection of malnutrition . Patient and Methods: A case control analytic study was done on children attending the pediatric department , and Nutrition Department in Kirkuk Pediatric General Hospital from 29th of March 2015 to the last of August 2015. The study included 150 malnourished children (study cases) and 100 control children (control cases) , their age from (2months -5years). Each child included in the study was assessed by a prepared questionnaire. Screening done by measuring Weight for age, Height for age, Occipitofrontal Circumference for age, and Mid-arm circumference , chest circumference and the diagnostic test weight for height. Results: The total number of cases 150 study cases (63% boys and 37% girls )and 100 control cases(65% boys and 35% girls). All the malnutrition cases looked wasted (100%) followed by pallor(48.7%) and looking ill(44.7%).Anthropometric measures Weight/age sensitivity(73%) and specificity(75%), Mid arm circumference sensitivity(75%) and specificity (79%) , Length/Height for age sensitivity (30%) and specificity(18%) .Head circumference in males sensitivity (1.4%) and specificity(78.3%) and Head circumference in females sensitivity (100%) and specificity(10%) , Chest circumference in males sensitivity (92%) and specificity(30%) and Chest circumference in females sensitivity (87%) and specificity(20%) ,Head: Chest Ratio in males sensitivity (93%) and specificity(26%) and Head :Chest Ratio in females sensitivity (92%) and specificity(25%) . Conclusion: Finally the present study concluded that still Mid arm circumference is the most sensitive and specific method for screening of the malnutrition .Head to Chest Ratio is a good method for early detection of malnutrition all thought it is more sensitive and less specific than Mid arm circumference..

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