Anthropometric Criteria for Identifying Infants Under 6 Months of Age at Risk of Morbidity and Mortality: A Systematic Review.

ABSTRACT:

Background

There is increasing global focus on small and nutritionally at-risk infants aged <6 months (<6 m). Current WHO guidelines recommend weight-for-length z-score (WLZ) for enrolment to malnutrition treatment programmes but acknowledge a weak evidence-base. This review aims to inform future guidelines by examining which anthropometric criteria best identify infants <6 m at high risk of mortality/morbidity.

Methods

We searched Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL, Global Health, Cochrane Library and POPLINE for studies conducted in low- and middle-income countries and published between 1990 and October 2020. We included studies reporting anthropometric assessment of nutritional status in infants <6 m and assessed the association with subsequent morbidity or mortality.

Resu

SUBMITTER: Hoehn C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8543668 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature