Seasonal hunger as experienced by the Oto and the Twa women of a Ntomba village in the equatorial forest (lake Tumba, Zaïre)

Abstract

An anthropometric survey in a Ntomba village showed how selected physiological parameters of adult women in different physiological states were affected by the rainy season. One hundred and twenty‐seven Oto, and 50 Twa women were measured at the end of the major dry and the major rainy seasons. The 20–39 age groups and the nursing women seemed to be most affected, with a 1.4 kg weight loss being reported among the Oto. Pregnant women did not lose weight during this time as opposed to some observations in the Sahelian countries. Twa women had significantly lower scores for arm circumference and skinfolds than the Oto of the same physiological state; this was probably related to the poorer nutritional and health status of the Twa in the Ntomba villages.