Nutritional status in two Mbyá-Guaraní communities from Misiones (Argentina)

Authors: Oyhenart E.E.¹; Techenski M.F.²; Orden A.B.¹

Source: Homo, Volume 54, Number 2, December 2003 , pp. 170-179(10)

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Abstract:

Growth and nutritional status of children and adults in two Mbyá-Guaraní communities from Argentina, was assessed. Height, weight, sitting height, upper arm circumference, triceps and subscapular skinfold were measured on 120 individuals aged from 2 to 60 between March and May, 2001. Data were transformed to z-scores using United States references (NHANES I and NHANES II). A z-score of less than –2 was used as the cut-off point to determine the prevalence of stunting and wasting respectively. Mean z-scores for weight, height, and upper arm circumference lie below the reference (0 > Z > –3), while in sitting height ratio and muscular area for females they were above the US standard (0 < Z < 2). Skinfold thicknesses and muscular area for males were similar to the reference (2 > Z > –1). Our findings are in agreement with others South American Indian research that the prevalence of stunting (36.7%) is significantly higher than wasting (1.8%). The presence of parasitic infections and nutritional environment previously described in this population could be related to the short stature.

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1078/0018-442X-00069

Affiliations: 1: Centro de Investigaciones en Genética Básica y Aplicada (CIGEBA), Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP) & Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET) 2: Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo (UNLP). La Plata, Argentina

Publication date: 2003-12-01