Wasting, or low weight-for-height (WFH) (or length), is a form of acute malnutrition that identifies children who are thinner than a healthy, well-nourished child of the same height because they have failed to gain adequate weight or have lost weight. It is usually defined as WFH < -2 z-scores of the WHO Child Growth Standards or a  Mid-Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) < 125 mm. Wasting reflects recent, short-term or acute malnutrition or illness. It is addressed through recuperative and preventive approaches.