Nutritional status of women and children in the indigenous Teréna, Brazil

In there are more than 200 indigenous ethnic groups, around 700,000 individuals. Research carried out with some ethnic groups has shown a complex epidemiological picture with a high incidence of problems related to nutrition and diet. Our essay describes the food and nutrition situation of women and children of ethnic indigenous Teréna from three villages in Central-West region of. Data were collected during the year 2004 and included all the families (49) with children less than 60 months old living inside the nucleus. Information about the social, anthropometrical and food consumption conditions were obtained from all the children less than 60 months old and their mothers (49). For the children corporal mass and height sizes, the indexes of height for age, body mass for age and body mass for height were calculated, for adults the Body Mass Index (BMI). The results for the children were compared to the reference NCHS (1977) and women were classified in accordance with cut-off points determined by the WHO. Food consumption was calculated based on 24h records and the quality of consumption was compared to Dietary Reference Intakes (IOM). The results indicated a prevalence of 11.8% children with growth deficit and 5.9% with underweight.  On the other hand 55.1% of the women presented some degree of weight excess (BMI ≥25 Kg/m²). Food consumption was characterized by food monotony, with predominance in the consumption of fine starches and rice and insufficient, mainly in relation to calories, calcium and vitamin A intake. This situation reflects the adverse living conditions that Teréna people are submitted to and points out the urgency of action in order to provide food access in a self-respecting way, according to their culture, favoring the food sustainability.