Research Article - Current Pediatric Research (2026) Volume 30, Issue 1

Risk Ratio of Death in Infants with Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) and Severe Underweight (SUW) from Nandurbar, Maharashtra India

An analysis of anthropometric data from 2 blocks Akkalkuwa and Dhadgaon from Nandurbar district, Maharashtra, India on 2524 infants below 6 months, revealed that 148 (5.86%) had SAM and 656 (25.99%) had SUW. 10 (6.76%) out of 148 infants with SAM died and 17 (2.59%) out of 656 infants with SUW died. The risk ratio of a child with SAM dying during the period is 8.94 compared to normal infants. The risk ratio of an infant with SUW dying during the period is 3.43 compared to normal infants. This highlights that both SAM and SUW increase the risk of death, SAM more than SUW and hence the importance of taking all anthropometric measurements i.e., weight for height (length) and weight for age in infants below 6 months. Recent WHO criteria (30.06.2023) for infants below 6 months ‘at risk of poor growth and development ‘include both weight for length below -2SD or weight for age below -2 SD (WHO growth charts) or nutritional oedema or MUAC below 110 mm. Our findings appear to be in corroboration with these criteria. It has generated evidence to strengthen WHO criteria to detect infant at risk as measured by poor anthropometry based on a single measure.

Author(s):

Phadke M, Nair R, Menon P*, Jotkar R,Vasaikar N, Gautam G

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