Description of the included studies
| Authors (year) | Country | Sample size | Reference method | Evaluated anthropometry |
| Achebe et al17 (2014) | Nigeria | 428 | BW | Length, OFC, MUAC, MTC |
| Modibbo and Taura7 (2013) | Nigeria | 551 | BW | HL, HB, FL, FB |
| Tiruneh13 (2023) | Ethiopia | 424 | GA | HC, CHL, MUAC, FL, HL, IMD, UND, BW |
| Mohsen et al25 (2011) | Egypt | 129 | BW | Length, MUAC, CC and HC |
| Stevenson et al14 (2021) | South Africa | 106 | GA | FL, HC, MUAC |
| Wyk and Smith12 (2016) | South Africa | 200 | GA | Length, FL, HC, BW |
| Ugowe et al11 (2022) | Nigeria | 420 | BW | OFC, MUAC, CC, CaC, FL |
| Gidi et al16 (2019) | Ethiopia | 1389 | BW, GA | FL, CC, MUAC |
| Marchant et al24 (2010) | Tanzania | 529 | BW, GA | FL |
| Chukwudi et al19 (2018) | Nigeria | 299 | BW | HC, CC, MUAC |
| Otupiri et al8 (2014) | Ghana | 973 | BW | MUAC, BL, FL, OFC, CC, ThC, CaC |
| Sintayehu et al9 (2023) | Ethiopia | 341 | BW, GA | CC, MUAC, HC, FL |
| Olusanya40 (2010) | Nigeria | 3869 | BW | HC, CHL |
| Tiruneh and Teshome10 (2021) | Ethiopia | 424 | BW | CHL, FL, HL, MUAC, UND, IMD, HC |
| Hadush et al6 (2017) | Ethiopia | 422 | BW | FL, HC, CC |
| Elizabeth et al21 (2013) | Uganda | 706 | BW | HC, FL, MUAC, ThC, CC |
| Ndu et al27 (2014) | Nigeria | 511 | BW | CC, OFC |
| Paulsen et al15 (2019) | Tanzania | 376 | BW, GA | MUAC, FL, CC |
| Nabiwemba et al26 (2013) | Uganda | 711 | BW, GA | FL |
| Ayesiga et al18 (2019) | Uganda | 553 | BW | MUAC, BL, FL, HC, CC, ThC, CaC |
| Dagnew et al20 (2020) | Ethiopia | 204 | BW, GA | FL |
BW, birth weight; CaC, calf circumference; CC, chest circumference; CHL, crown-heel length; FB, foot breadth; FL, foot length; GA, gestational age; HB, hand breadth; HC, head circumference; HL, hand length; MUAC, mid-upper arm circumference; OFC, occipito-frontal circumference; ThC, thigh circumference; UND, umbilical nipple distance.