posts_gdocs: 1UzpO2qA8U-wYsLcGC7yn8SgeEFbXeRlFWUutYUfngOU

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id slug type content published createdAt publishedAt updatedAt publicationContext revisionId breadcrumbs markdown title
1UzpO2qA8U-wYsLcGC7yn8SgeEFbXeRlFWUutYUfngOU wasting-definition article 
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                    "text": "\u2018Wasting\u2019 is one of the key indicators used to assess the prevalence of childhood malnutrition. A child is defined as \u2018wasted\u2019 if their weight is too low for their height.",
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                    "text": "Wasting is often referred to as ",
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                    "text": " malnutrition. It is a sign that a child has experienced short periods of undernutrition, resulting in significant wastage of muscle and fat tissue. This means their weight is very low for their height. ",
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                    "text": " \u2013 another important measure of nutrition \u2013 is regarded as a stronger indicator of ",
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                    "text": " malnutrition.",
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                    "text": "Wasting can be caused by acute but severe periods of food shortage, or disease, or both. This is often caused by periods of severe food insecurity in a population \u2013 such as during famine, or seasons of very poor crop harvest. It can also be the result of bouts of infection, where a child\u2019s energy requirements may be higher ",
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                    "text": " their ability to absorb and retain nutrients is limited.",
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                    "text": "The prevalence of wasting in a population is measured as the share of children younger than five years old that are defined as \u2018wasted\u2019.",
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                    "text": "How is wasting measured?",
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                    "text": "Wasting is measured based on a child\u2019s weight relative to their height.",
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                    "text": "The World Health Organization (WHO) sets out ",
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                    "text": " \u2013 these show the expected trajectory of a child\u2019s growth from birth through to adulthood.",
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                    "text": " These include measurements of a child\u2019s expected height and weight. One of the key measures of health is a child\u2019s weight ",
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                    "text": ". If their weight is too low for their height, it is a sign that they have an insufficient energy intake. Of course, this weight-to-height ratio is not exactly the same for every child. The WHO therefore sets out a range of values around this median expectation. This \u2018acceptable range\u2019 spans two standard deviations.",
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                    "text": "In a population, the prevalence of wasting is defined as ",
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                                "text": "World Health Organization, and World Health Organization. Nutrition for Health. ",
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    "type": "article",
    "title": "What is childhood wasting?",
    "authors": [
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    "excerpt": "Childhood wasting is an important indicator of malnutrition. What is it, and how is it measured?",
    "dateline": "February 6, 2022",
    "subtitle": "Childhood wasting is an important indicator of malnutrition. What is it, and how is it measured?",
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 1 2024-03-03 20:03:20 2022-02-06 15:56:18 2024-03-03 20:06:08 listed ALBJ4LvMPBfn9Ks0KaCnEybb3ST83IQ_h-3Liv3DpdP1m_7hA2GcD67jpHFYLmCJ038DrvTxoYGg-TLI56VmWQ   ‘Wasting’ is one of the key indicators used to assess the prevalence of childhood malnutrition. A child is defined as ‘wasted’ if their weight is too low for their height. Wasting is often referred to as _acute_ malnutrition. It is a sign that a child has experienced short periods of undernutrition, resulting in significant wastage of muscle and fat tissue. This means their weight is very low for their height. [Childhood stunting](http://ourworldindata.org/stunting-definition) – another important measure of nutrition – is regarded as a stronger indicator of _chronic_ malnutrition. Wasting can be caused by acute but severe periods of food shortage, or disease, or both. This is often caused by periods of severe food insecurity in a population – such as during famine, or seasons of very poor crop harvest. It can also be the result of bouts of infection, where a child’s energy requirements may be higher _and_ their ability to absorb and retain nutrients is limited. The prevalence of wasting in a population is measured as the share of children younger than five years old that are defined as ‘wasted’. <Chart url="https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/share-of-children-with-a-weight-too-low-for-their-height-wasting"/> # How is wasting measured? Wasting is measured based on a child’s weight relative to their height. The World Health Organization (WHO) sets out [child growth standards](https://www.who.int/tools/child-growth-standards) – these show the expected trajectory of a child’s growth from birth through to adulthood.1 These include measurements of a child’s expected height and weight. One of the key measures of health is a child’s weight _relative to their height_. If their weight is too low for their height, it is a sign that they have an insufficient energy intake. Of course, this weight-to-height ratio is not exactly the same for every child. The WHO therefore sets out a range of values around this median expectation. This ‘acceptable range’ spans two standard deviations. **A child whose weight falls two standard deviations below their expected weight for their height is defined as ‘wasted’.** In a population, the prevalence of wasting is defined as **the share of child under five years old that fall two standard deviations below the expected weight for their height**. To estimate the prevalence of wasting, researchers draw on household and demographic surveys, which include measurements of childhood growth, alongside official health data from governments that monitor child development. --- # Keep reading at Our World in Data ### What is childhood stunting? https://ourworldindata.org/stunting-definition ### Explore our page on hunger and undernourishment https://ourworldindata.org/hunger-and-undernourishment World Health Organization, and World Health Organization. Nutrition for Health. [WHO child growth standards: growth velocity based on weight, length and head circumference: methods and development](https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241547635). World Health Organization, 2009. What is childhood wasting?

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