Seasonality in the coastal lowlands of Kenya : Part 4/5: Food consumption and anthropometry

This is Part 4/5 of a series concerned with seasonality in the coastal lowlands of Kenya. Household surveys were carried out in six locations in Kwale and Kilifi Districts in 1985-1987. The present report deals with food consumption and the nutritional condition of the study population. Results show that the average energy intake in the sampled households is substantially lower than the reference requirements. However, energy intake differs according to research area, income class and season. On average, only about one-third of the energy intake is covered by the households' own food production. The general seasonality pattern of height and weight growth of the children differs little between the research areas. However, the amplitudes of the seasonal fluctuations differ between the areas. Household income level appears to be an important variable underlying differences in the seasonality of height growth and weight growth. The relationship between household income level and seasonality in the mothers' weight is more complex. In the present study, 'seasonal stress' is assessed in terms of a deterioration of the nutritional condition of the people. To a certain extent, most households are able to prevent this type of seasonal stress by buying food with money derived from a more or less regular type of off-farm employment and to a lesser extent also from farm sales