Title: [Weight / length ratio: is it a good index to assess nutritional status of full-term newborns?]

POPLINE Document Number: 315161

Author(s):

Brada TD
Lima MD

Source citation:

Jornal de Pediatria, 2002;78(3):219-24.

Abstract:

An accurate assessment of the nutritional status of an infant at birth is very important, since it provides information on early identification of pathological events related to intrauterine growth acceleration or retardation. Anthropometric ratios such as weight/ length and mid-arm circumference/head circumference may be used as alternative tools for this purpose. The main objective of this study was to verify the correlation between triceps skinfold thickness with Rohrer Index, Body Mass Index, weight/length ratio, and mid-arm circumference/head circumference ratio. A cross-sectional study was carried out with 390 fullterm newborns delivered at the Maternity Ward of Instituto Materno Infantil of Pernambuco, from May to July 1999. The newborns had their birthweight, length, head and mid-arm circumferences and triceps skinfold thickness measured. The results showed that among the anthropometric indices studied the weight/length ratio showed the strongest correlation with triceps skinfold thickness(r = 0.63, P< 0.001) followed by mid-arm circumference/head circumference ratio (r = 0.59, P< 0.001). Rohrer index showed the weakest correlation (r = 0.43, P< 0.001). Multiple linear regression analyses revealed that weight/length ratio correlated best with skinfold thickness. We concluded that among the studied indices, weight/length ratio showed to be the best alternative to assess the nutritional status of infants at birth. (author's)

Keywords:

Brazil
Research Report
Cross Sectional Analysis
Infant
Body Weight
Body Height
Nutrition Indexes
Anthropometry
Physical Examinations and Diagnoses
South America, Eastern
South America
Latin America
Americas
Developing Countries
Research Methodology
Youth
Age Factors
Population Characteristics
Demographic Factors
Population
Physiology
Biology
Nutrition
Health
Measurement
Examinations and Diagnoses
Medical Procedures
Medicine
Health Services
Delivery of Health Care