Summary

Introduction

Acute and chronic undernutrition

Measuring nutritional status in adults

Weight

Body Mass Index

Theoretical problems with BMI

Practical problems with BMI

Summary - the use of BMI

Mid-Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC)

Theoretical problems with MUAC

Practical problems with MUAC

Summary - the use of MUAC

Combination measures

Clinical signs for screening acute undernutrition

Famine oedema

Clinical models

Activities of daily living

Summary - the use of clinical models

Primary and secondary undernutrition

General summary - suggested indicators for assessing adult undernutrition in the field

Where do we go from here? Future research needs:

References

Appendix 1: Basic definitions