Nutritional adaptation of women in contrasting agricultural environments in Tari, Papua New Guinea

ABSTRACT

The energy expenditure, food consumption and anthropometry of two groups of Hull women are described. The group occupying the highly productive drained margins of the Haeapugua Swamp at Weinani have significantly higher intakes of energy and protein than those at Heli on the Paijaka Plateau. However, both groups of women expend similar amounts of time and energy in agricultural activities. The differences are explained by the contrasting quality of agricultural land at each place. Production per hectare at Heli is only around half of that at Weinani. It is concluded that the nutritional health of Heli women is compromised. This is probably the cause of the significantly lower mean birthweights of children born to women living on the Paijaka Plateau.