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Nutritional status of Bedouin children aged 6–10 years in Lebanon and Syria under different nomadic pastoral systems

Bibliographic Data

ID14722764
AuthorsNahla Hwalla (0000-0002-0685-6323, American University of Beirut, corresponding author), Nahla Baba, Khuzama Shaar (American University of Beirut), Shady Hamadeh, S K Hamadeh (0000-0002-5977-9878, American University of Beirut), Nada Adra (American University of Beirut)
Year1994
Volume32
Issue3-4
Pages247-259
Publication date1994-09-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueEcology of Food and Nutrition (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0367-0244 • E-ISSN: 1543-5237
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/03670244.1994.9991405
PMID12290748
OpenAlexW2020025668
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited14

This paper examines the nutritional status of Bedouin children under different nomadic pastoral systems. Anthropometric measurements (height and weight) and food intake were collected on 296 children aged 6–10 years from the Bedouin population of Lebanon and Syria. The sample included children from the semi‐settled Beqa'a Bedouins involved in livestock production and seasonal labor; the transhumant Bedouins of the Akkar area; the true nomads in the Palmyra desert; and the settled Bedouins herding governmental livestock in exchange for food and pay in Aleppo desert. Bedouin children of the Beqa'a area tended to have improved height and weight in all age groups. Z score distribution of Bedouin children as compared by their own position within the reference population (NCHS) manifested moderate to severe stunting (ht/age). Regarding height, 6.8% of the Beqa'a valley chidren, 14.8% of Akkar plains children, 24.0% of Palmyra desert children, and 41.1% of Aleppo desert children were below ‐2 S.D. for ht/age. A large proportion of the study children fell between ‐1 S.D. and ‐2 S.D. for ht/age and wt/age (ranging from 41.8%‐70.5%, and 26.3%‐67.5% respectively) indicating mild malnutrition. Consistent with anthropometric results, dietary intake data showed that low intakes in all macro and micronutrients were prevalent in all populations studied, these low intakes being more pronounced in Bedouin children from Aleppo, Palmyra, and Akkar than children in Beqa'a valley. The results show that Bedouin children suffer from stunting and underweight which is partly related to the low intake in most macro and micronutrients. More deprived nutritional status was noted in children of settled Bedouins who received rations subsidized by the government, and better nutritional status was associated with more advantageous socio‐economic activities integrating livestock, crop production, and off‐farm income. Key words: Nutritional statusfood consumptionnomadic systemsanthropometry Notes Supported partially by a grant from World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office—Alexandria

Anthropometry · Archaeology · Biology · Environmental health · Geography · Grazing · Livestock · Obesity · Population · Socioeconomics · Underweight · Child Nutrition and Water Access · Demography · Food Security and Health in Diverse Populations · Medicine · Rangeland Management and Livestock Ecology · Ecology · Forestry

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Unique citing works3
Citations per year0,14
Citation span2004 - 2013 (10)
Citation velocityhistorical
Highly citedNo
Citation typesNeutral: 3

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