Definition
For household members under age 5, HWCHTAPCTRM (HC6) reports their height-for-age as a percent of the median height for a reference population of the same age and sex. For this variable, the reference population was developed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. Low height-for-age, or "stunting," is an indicator of chronic malnutrition,
HWCHEIGHT (HC3) reports the young household member's length or height as measured by DHS personnel. See this variable and HWCHTHOWMEAS (HC15) for specifics on length/height measurement. The related variable AGEMOHHLT5 (HC1) reports the young household member's age in months at the time of measurement.
The similar variable HWCHTAPCT (HC4) reports the height-for-age percentile relative to smoothed percentile growth charts by age and sex, for the same reference population.
For an alternative measure of stunting in terms of height-for-age, see HWCHAZNCHS (HC5). HWCHAZNCHS reports the difference between the young household member's height and the median height of the CDC reference population of the same age and sex, expressed in units equal to one standard deviation of the reference population's distribution.
