Which measurements does Waterlow criteria take into account?

• A. Weight and BMI
• B. Weight and length
• C. Length and age
• D. Weight and head circumference

Answer: (B)

Waterlow criteria classify malnutrition by using anthropometric measures that compare a child’s size to reference values. The key index for identifying wasting is weight-for-length (or weight-for-height), which combines how much the child weighs with how long they are. Length is used for infants who can’t stand, while height is used for older children, but both pairings serve the same purpose: relating weight to body size. So the measurements at the heart of Waterlow are weight and length (to compute weight-for-length), with the other components—height-for-age and weight-for-age—used to assess stunting and underweight, respectively. This is why weight and length best reflect the Waterlow approach. BMI, age with length, or head circumference aren’t part of the primary Waterlow indices.