Changes in body weight in Basotho women: Seasonal coping in households with different socioeconomic conditions.

Abstract

The ability of populations to cope biologically with seasonal stress may depend upon socioeconomic conditions at the household level. In this study seasonal weight change (i.e., absolute weight change, weight change as a percentage of total body weight, and weight loss episodes) was examined in the context of household socioeconomic status (SES) for women from 195 households in highland Lesotho over a period of three seasons. Households were divided into close (CHHs) vs. distant households (DHHs), according to the distance from the district headquarters, and into female-managed (FMHs) vs. multiple-parent households (MPHs). There are no significant differences in SES between FMHs and MPHs. Conversely, CHHs have significantly higher SES, are more involved in the wage economy, and are less dependent upon subsistence agriculture than DHHs. For the total sample there is a significant difference in body weight between seasons (P = 0.005). There are no significant differences in body weight across seasons between FMH and MPH women. However, DHH women have significantly lower body weight throughout the three seasons (P = 0.004 and P = 0.001), and a greater change in body weight as a percentage of total body weight between seasons (P = 0.001) than do CHH women. In addition, more DHH women lose weight seasonally (P < 0.001) than do CHH women. These results suggest that seasonal fluctuations in body weight are greater in women from households that depend upon subsistance agriculture than in women from households more involved in the wage economy. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.