What was the Waterlow criteria developed to determine?

• A. The energy needs of infants
• B. The presence of dehydration in malnourished children
• C. The risk of obesity in adults
• D. The degree of malnutrition in children

Answer: (D)

Waterlow criteria determine the degree of malnutrition in children. It uses several anthropometric measures—weight-for-height (acute malnutrition), height-for-age (stunting), and weight-for-age (underweight)—along with the presence or absence of edema to classify nutritional status as mild, moderate, or severe. Edema is particularly important because it can indicate kwashiorkor and influence the overall assessment. This system helps identify how severely malnourished a child is and guides appropriate management, such as whether treatment can be done in the community or requires inpatient nutrition support. It’s not about estimating energy needs, assessing dehydration, or evaluating obesity risk, which rely on different tools and concepts.