Assessment of Nutritional Status in the Public About Anthropometry

One way of assessing nutritional status in the community is by measurement of the human body, known as Anthropometry. In use for the assessment of nutritional status, antropomteri presented in the form of an index that is associated with other variables. The variables are as follows (Arsad, RA. 2006):

a. Age
Age really plays a role in determining nutritional status, determination of fault will cause an incorrect interpretation of nutritional status. The results of weighing and accurate height, become meaningless if not accompanied by the determination of the appropriate age. Errors that often arises is the tendency to choose the number that is easy as 1 year, 1.5 years; 2 years. Therefore the determination of the child's age should be calculated carefully. Its provisions is one year is 12 months, one month is 30 days. So the calculation of age is the moon is full, meaning that the remaining life in days not taken into account (MOH, 2004).

b. Weight Loss
Weight loss is one measure that provides a mass of tissue, including body fluids. Weight loss is very sensitive to sudden changes either due to infectious diseases and food consumption declined. Body weight is expressed in index form MM / N (Weight Loss by Age) or assessment by looking at changes in body weight at the time of measurements carried out, which in its use provides a state now.

c. Height
Height growth function gives an overview of state visits and short little scrawny. Height is expressed in index form of TB / U (height for age), or also indexes BB / TB (Weight Loss by Height) is rarely done because the height changes are slow and usually only done once a year. Circumstances of this index generally gives the situation of the environment, poverty and unhealthy due to a chronic (MOH, 2004).

Body weight and height is an important parameter to determine the status of human health, especially those related to nutritional status. Usage Index BB / U, TB / U and BB / TB is an indicator of nutritional status to see any malfunctioning of growth and body composition. (Arsad, RA. 2006)

The use of weight and height will be more clear and sensitive / sensitive in showing the state of malnutrition when compared with the use of BW / U. Expressed in the BB / TB, according to WHO standards when the prevalence of underweight / wasting <-2SD above 10% indicates an area having a very serious nutritional problems and deal directly with morbidity. (Arsad, RA. 2006)