Seasonal variations in nutritional risk among children in central Mali

This paper examines the effect of seasonality on the nutritional risk of a cohort of 67 under‐fives in rural Mali. In the year of study (1988–89), distinct seasonal trends are apparent for all nutritional indicators: a gradual improvement occurring in the dry season followed by a decline in the rainy season. While significant, these variations are not of sufficient magnitude to affect the prevalence of children falling below ‐2 standard deviations of the reference population, the threshold level used to define risk. Growth velocity also exhibits a strong seasonal rhythm which overlays a state of chronic mild undernutrition relative to NCHS standards. Coincident with anthropometric trends are seasonal patterns of morbidity which underscore the importance of environmental factors in the aetiology of nutritional risk. Observed differences in the seasonal growth rates of specific age cohorts in the under‐five population are the likely result of biological, environmental and/or sociocultural factors such as maternal time constraints militating against regular breastfeeding and supplementary food preparation. While study findings indicate some degree of homeostatic recovery from periods of seasonal stress, the impact of seasonal variation on the long‐term health and development of children remains unclear.

Key words:

• anthropometry
• child nutrition
• growth
• nutritional risk
• seasonal variation
• Mali