Maternal and childhood nutrition among Aborigines of the Kimberley region.
A cross-sectional anthropometric survey of 128 Aboriginal children under five years of age and of 388 Aboriginal girls and women of child-bearing age was undertaken in seven communities in the Kimberley Region of Western Australia. More than 20% of the children were undernourished, three individuals severely so. All but one of those who were undernourished were over 12 months of age. Less than 60% of the female subjects of child-bearing age had a satisfactory nutritional status; one-sixth were undernourished and one-quarter, mostly older women, were overweight. The findings indicate that poor nutrition is widespread among Aboriginal female subjects of child-bearing age. Maternal malnutrition may contribute significantly to unsatisfactory nutrition and health in Aboriginal infants and young children.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001315:Australia; D002664:Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009748:Nutrition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D000095283:Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples