What was the Waterlow criteria developed to determine?

• A. The level of obesity in adults
• B. The adequacy of protein intake
• C. The degree of malnutrition in children
• D. The body fat percentage in infants

Answer: (C)

Waterlow criteria are used to determine the degree of malnutrition in children. It assesses nutritional status using anthropometric measurements—weight relative to height, weight relative to age, and height relative to age—and considers the presence of edema. By comparing these measurements to standard references, it classifies malnutrition as mild, moderate, or severe and helps differentiate acute (wasting) from chronic (stunting) malnutrition to guide intervention. It’s not about obesity in adults, protein adequacy, or body fat percentage in infants.