Cash cropping, subsistence agriculture, and nutritional status among mothers and children in lowland Papua New Guinea

• Published in: Social science & medicine (1982) Vol. 31; no. 1; pp. 61 - 68
• Main Authors: Shack, Kathryn W., Grivetti, Louis E., Dewey, Kathryn G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 1990; Elsevier; Pergamon Press Inc
• Series: Social Science & Medicine
• Subjects: Agriculture; Anthropometry; Biological and medical sciences; cash cropping; cash cropping subsistence agriculture nutritional status mothers children lowland Papua New Guinea; Child; Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Children; Children & youth; Crops; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diet; Educational Status; Factors; Farming; Female; Humans; lowland Papua New Guinea; Medical sciences; Mothers; Nutrition; Nutritional Status; Papua New Guinea; Parents & parenting; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; subsistence agriculture; Papua New Guinea; Melanesia; Oceania; subsistence agriculture; cash cropping; nutritional status; mothers; lowland Papua New Guinea; children; Human; Agriculture; Nutrition; Public health; Result
• ISSN: 0277-9536; 1873-5347
• DOI: 10.1016/0277-9536(90)90010-P

The influence of cash crop income, subsistence agriculture, and purchased foods on nutritional status was examined among three ethnic groups in lowland Papua New Guinea. In their home areas, these groups had been hunter-gatherers, agriculturists, and hunter-gatherers with limited agriculture. Multiple regression revealed that cash crop income was positively associated with anthropometric status and energy intake among children. Expenditure on food was related to the child's arm circumference but not to nutrient intake. The amount of food planted in the garden was not related to child nutritional status. In contrast, the amount of food planted was positively associated with body mass index of mothers. Consumption of rice and fish was related to food expenditures. Nutritional status was better among families who were agriculturalists prior to resettlement than among hunter-gatherers. The former had more income from cash crops, smaller households, and planted more food in their gardens. Therefore, cash cropping need not decrease nutritional status if home gardens are maintained.