Nutritional status of Ribeirinhos in Brazil and the nutrition transition

Abstract

Anthropometric and household data (size, composition, economic activity) were collected from a population of Ribeirinhos living in a rural setting in the eastern Amazon. Data are compared to international reference standards and to other Amazonian populations with the goals of increasing our understanding of the Amazon's largest ethnic group and identifying the relationship between changes in subsistence strategies and nutritional status. Data on height, weight, skinfolds, and circumferences were collected from 471 adults and subadults. The population showed a high degree of stunting with an average HAZ below -2.0 for all age groups over 3 years, and 60% of adult men and 70% of adult women were stunted. Wasting was rare. Average skinfold thicknesses and upper-arm muscle area were near or below average but within the normal range compared to the reference standard, indicating adequate energy and protein stores. Thirty-one percent of males and 29% of females were overweight/obese, and the highest average BMIs were found among men and women in their 40s. Adult males who participated in wage labor had higher weights, BMIs, and UMA values, and were more likely to be overweight and obese compared with those who did not work in wage-labor jobs. Children of fathers who worked in wage labor had higher BMI and UMA values, but there was no significant effect on the nutritional status of other adults in these same households. Signs of the nutrition transition were most noticeable among adult males involved in wage labor because of changes in their diet and activity patterns.

Dark Earths and manioc cultivation in Central Amazonia: a window on pre-Columbian agricultural systems?

“…Why is this? Bitter manioc, which is processed into farinha, is both the fundamental carbohydrate energy source and often the most important market crop for caboclo populations throughout Brazilian Amazonia (Murrieta and Dufour, 2004;Piperata and Dufour, 2007;Piperata, 2007). The municipality of Manicoré is said to be the biggest producer of farinha in the whole of Amazonas state 6 .…”

Socio-economic and spatial determinants of anthropogenic predation on Yellow-spotted River Turtle, Podocnemis unifilis (Testudines: Pelomedusidae), nests in the Brazilian Amazon: Implications for sustainable conservation and management

“…Although fishing activities may accidentally catch turtles, which in turn could be consumed by our interviewees, this was not a common phenomena. This suggests that current patterns of Amazonian development and associated nutritional changes (PIPERATA 2007, PIPERATA et al 2011) may reduce demand for adult turtles. Therefore direct anthropogenic impacts on freshwater turtle populations (e.g.…”

“…There are two non-mutually exclusive explanations for these differences: differences in P. unifilis abundances and differences in harvest levels for personal and commercial use. The depletion of P. unifilis abundances around more developed areas is well documented and human egg consumption is therefore likely to decrease as a result of decreased abundances close to human settlements especially when alternative food sources are available (PIPERATA 2007, PIPERATA et al 2011. REBÊLO et al (2005) found a 10 fold reduction in P. unifilis egg harvests close to human settlements, which was also related to a clear separation between the number of eggs collected for personal consumption and commercial trade.…”

“…Although urbanization is generating a so called "nutrition transition" across the Brazilian Amazon (NARDOTO et al 2011), fish and fishing activities remain an important component of rural ribeirinho diet and culture (DOREA 2003, PIPERATA 2007. This association with Amazonian rivers means that although ribeirinhos may not necessarily depend on chelonians (a less predictable food source compared with fish species) for subsistence, the consumptive use of chelonians remains an important part of ribeirinho diet and culture across Amazonia (DOREA 2003, KEMENES & PEZZUTI 2007, VOGT 2008.…”

Impactos do desenvolvimento em comunidades tradicionais: transição agroalimentar e ajustes adaptativos

“…Aqueles que foram realizados na Amazônia demonstram uma tendência de mudança da alimentação nas formas de uso dos recursos naturais (PIPERATA, 2007;NARDOTO et al 2011;PIPERATA et al 2011). Neste contexto de mudança, quais seriam os impactos da modernidade, do desenvolvimento econômico, da urbanização, das politicas públicas de transferência de renda, do maior acesso a itens industrializados de supermercado no modo de vida de povos tradicionais?…”