Nutritional status of Amerindian children from the Beni River (lowland Bolivia) as related to environmental, maternal and dietary factors

Abstract

Etude effectuée dans la cadre du projet: "Biogéochimie et bioaccumulation du méthyle mercure : ses effets sur la santé dans la plaine du Rio Beni (Amazonie bolivienne)"International audienceObjectives: To report the nutritional status of children aged up to 15 years and their mothers living in a remote Amazonian area of Bolivia, and to study its main social, familial and maternal determinants. Setting: Fifteen Beni River communities located at the foot of the Andes. Design: Cross-sectional survey of riverside populations. All childbearing mothers and their children in the 15 communities were examined. Methods: Information on household production, dietary habits and demography was collected. Individual clinical, anthropometric and parasitological examinations were carried out. Subjects: A total of 631 persons were examined: 171 mothers and 460 children and adolescents aged 0 to 15 years. Results: There were no cases of severe wasting, but 41% of 0-5-year-olds and 36% of 5-10-year-olds were stunted. Among 346 stool specimens examined, 75% were positive for at least one helminth. Diversity of food and quality of diet were satisfactory in 54% of households, but 27% had low diversity scores. Mothers were lighter and shorter than those observed at the national level: 20% had height below 145 cm. Prevalence of anaemia (42%) was also higher. In pre-school children, multivariate analysis indicated a relationship between growth retardation and household factors such as dietary quality, ethnic group and clinical state, but not maternal anthropometry. In contrast, in school-age children and adolescents, growth retardation was related to maternal characteristics. Conclusions: Growth retardation appeared mainly during the weaning period and did not seem to improve thereafter. To ameliorate this situation, an effort should be made to prevent common parasitic and infectious diseases in young children. Follow-up of pregnant mothers during pregnancy and delivery also needs to be reinforced

A nutritional dilemma: fish consumption, mercury exposure and growth of children in Amazonian Bolivia

“…The rationale for this choice was that prenatal mercury contamination could severely impair cerebral development of infants due to the capacity of methyl mercury to cross the placenta barrier (Gilbert and Grant-Webster 1995). The mercury exposure study was performed during a nutritional survey (Benefice et al 2006). Hence, sampling was carried out on the basis of a 35% expected prevalence of chronic malnutrition in the area among 0 to 10-year-olds.…”

“…We also previously documented a mediocre state of health and nutrition in children from riverside communities (Benefice et al 2006). Hence, the aim of this paper was to analyze and discuss possible associations between mercury exposure and nutritional status in a group of children and their mothers living on the banks of the Beni River.…”

“…Mercury contamination poses a serious nutritional problem, since fish consumption is an important source of animal foods for riverside communities (Benefice et al 2006). A review of the literature on the diet of Amazonian Indians indicates that tubers (Manihot esculenta) and plantain (Musa paradisiaca) constitute staple foods, while fish provide high quality protein (Dufour 1991).…”

Fishing activity, health characteristics and mercury exposure of Amerindian women living alongside the Beni River (Amazonian Bolivia)

“…However, direct data interpretation among such populations is difficult, since they face many other health threats such as nutritional, parasitic and infectious diseases, which are also harmful to child growth and development (Benefice et al, 2006). Recently a multi-disciplinary study in the flood plains of the Beni River to document mercury contamination of human populations, found that communities continuing to pursue traditional fishing activities were at a higher risk of contamination.…”

Fat and muscle mass in different groups of pre-pubertal and pubertal rural children. Cross-cultural comparisons between Sahelian (rural Senegal) and Amazonian (Beni River, Bolivia) children

“…From 2004 to 2005, a study on the health and nutritional status of communities living on the banks of the Beni River (Lowland Bolivia) was performed (Benefice et al 2006). It was a cross-sectional survey.…”