Improving case-detection of severe wasting among under-five-year-old children in Timor Leste: A secondary analysis of data from the 2020 national cross-sectional food and nutrition survey.

The World Health Organization recommends using weight-for-height Z-score (WHZ) <-3 or Mid-Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) <115 mm as independent criteria for diagnosing severe wasting. However, there are several challenges in using the WHZ criterion. As a result, the MUAC (and edema)-only approach for identifying children needing treatment for severe wasting has been developed and is being rapidly scaled-up globally, including in Timor-Leste.