Effect of settlement on nutritional status of Bedouin children aged 6–10 years in the Lebanese Beqaa valley†

Abstract

The paper examines the nutritional status of Bedouin children as affected by settlement and by production systems. Anthropometric data (height and weight) were collected on 215 children aged 6–10 years from the Bedouin population of the Bega's valley. The sample included settled and semi‐settled Bedouins having two production activities: livestock ownership, or agricultural work. Semi‐settled Bedouins when compared to settled ones tended to have improved weight and height in all age groups. The difference in height was statistically significant for those aged 10 years (P < 0.05). Production type also seemed to affect growth of Bedouin children whereby those from families involved in agriculture production tended to have better growth with a significant difference in height amongst those aged 7 and 10 years (P < 0.05). The Bedouin Children surveyed whether compared by their own position within centile distribution of reference population (NCHS) or as a standard deviation (Z‐Score) manifested mild to moderate stunting ht/age. Forty‐nine percent and 37% of settled and semi‐settled livestock groups respectively were below ‐ 1SD for ht/age, whereas, 38.5% and 31.6% of settled and semi‐settled agriculture groups fell in this lower range. All Bedouin children in the studied age groups were shorter than the American NCHS standard for height. It could be concluded that settlement of nomads did not seem to demonstrate a positive effect on the physical growth of Bedouin children.