In a child that is 6–59 months of age, MUAC < 11.5 cm indicates severe wasting, or SAM. MUAC ≥ 11.5 cm and < 12.5 cm indicates moderate wasting, or MAM.
Since the threshold has been raised it stands to reason that more children would now enter the SAM category. However the gold standard should remain WHZ scores.
Cut off changes the validity of screening test. As the cut off increases specificity increases . Similarly if we reduce the cut off sensitivity increases