Nutrition in agricultural development in Aleppo Province, Syria 2 home food preservation, child nutrition and family food consumption patterns

Abstract

Qualitative dietary assessment surveys were conducted in eight villages in the high and low rainfall areas of Aleppo Province, together with height and weight determinations on children. Rural families in the high rainfall zone had, in general, greater and more stable farm resources and reserves than families in the low rainfall zone. Anthropometric data gave cause for concern in both zones in that many children were below reference values in weight‐for‐age and height‐for‐age, although weight‐for‐height values were normal. The majority of families in both zones preserved and stored cereals, food legumes (mainly lentils), dairy products and a variety of vegetables and fruits. Purchases of raw or preserved products from the market were significantly more frequent in the low rainfall zone except for dairy products, which were provided mostly from owned livestock in both zones. Cereals were present in the largest number of meals per day in both zones and were commonly consumed combined with dairy products and/or oils. The interrelationships between farm resources and dietary consumption were suggested by significantly higher consumption of dairy products as more livestock was owned; the seasonal variations in the variety and frequency of consumption (more fruits & vegetables and less cereals and fresh dairy products in the summer); and, finally, the greater impact of drought on food reserves in the low rainfall zone. Although weight and height deficits in children increased with age in both zones, and more school age children were in deficit in the low rainfall zone, no direct relationships between anthropometric deficits, farm resources and dietary patterns could be demonstrated since the differences between zones, while frequently significant, were small and all the farmers were relatively poor.