Maternal energy and macronutrient insecurity in an ensete-corn staple village of Southern Ethiopia

Abstract

Abstract: Thirty three rural women from Shafina, a Sidama village, aged 25-48 years, were followed longitudinally for their dietary intake for eight rounds from april 1986 to march 1987. Food consumption was measured by the weighed food record technique. The mean habitual daily energy intake was 1833±563 kcal/day, 94% adequate compared to WHO recommendations. Carbohydrate provided 88% of the total daily energy which was 15% higher than the reference upper limit. Total fat intake was critically low contributing only 6.9% of the total daily energy, 54% lower than the lower reference limit reccomended for optimal nutritional health. Protein provided 5.7% of the total daily energy with unmet animal-origin protein requirement amounting to about 78%. Foods of ensete origin provided the largest proportion of the daily energy (46%) followed by cereals, mainly corn, (39.7%). Legumes and tubers provide 3.7% and 2.0% of the total daily energy, respectively. Intakes of all macronutrients and energy were relatively higher during the post-harvest months of December through February compared to the pre-harvest months of June through November. The results from this study indicate that maternal macronutrient and energy nutriture of the study population is both chronically and seasonally insecure. Moreover, the diet is characterised by very high carbohydrate, very low fat and low animal origin protein, which is not consistent with the recommended balance for optimal long term good health, productivity, and reproductive performance. Alleviation of the adverse consequences requires emphasis on the nutrition dimension by the education, health, agricultural, industrial, and other policy sectors within the country. [Ethiop. J. Health Dev. 1999;13(3):285-290]