Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA.
Eur J Clin Nutr. 2011 Jan;65(1):26-31. doi: 10.1038/ejcn.2010.197. Epub 2010 Sep 29.
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: Although gender inequality in nutritional status has been consistently reported in several parts of South Asia, in sub-Sahara Africa there is a paucity of data and conflicting conclusions. We conducted a study to assess if gender inequality in food intake and nutritional status is present in rural Eastern Kenya.
SUBJECTS/METHODS: This was a descriptive cross sectional study conducted in the Mwingi and Makueni districts of Ukambani region in Eastern Kenya, two rural districts where grains are the main contributor of energy intake. There were 629 children aged <60 months, randomly selected for participation in the study.
Boys consistently had higher energy intakes than girls (P = 0.005). More girls were stunted, underweight and wasted 51.7%, (49.9-53.5), 32.1%, (30.4-33.7), 4.6%, (3.9-5.4) than boys 35.9% (34.2-37.7), 14.6% (13.4-15.9) and 1.2% (0.8-1.6), respectively, P < 0.001. Of the total, 24.6% (23.1-26.2) of the girls were severely stunted compared with boys 16.3% (15.0-17.7). Boys had higher Z-score indices (height-for-age (HAZ) = -1.33 ± 1.86, weight-for-age (WAZ) = -0.60 ± 1.53 and weight-for-height (WHZ) = 0.25 ± 1.23) than girls (HAZ = -2.02 ± 1.94, WAZ = -1.37 ± 1.27 and WHZ = -0.10 ± 1.49), all P < 0.001.
The prevalence of malnutrition among children in rural Eastern Kenya is sizable. However, girls were more stunted, underweight and wasted than boys at all age categories due to their consistent lower food intake. Further research is needed to expose the social and cultural determinants underlying gender discrimination in intra-household allocation of food.
背景/目的：尽管南亚部分地区一直存在营养状况方面的性别不平等现象，但在撒哈拉以南非洲，相关数据匮乏，且结论相互矛盾。我们开展了一项研究，以评估肯尼亚东部农村地区的基苏木和马库埃尼区是否存在饮食摄入和营养状况方面的性别不平等现象。
对象/方法：这是一项在肯尼亚东部 Ukambani 地区的 Mwingi 和 Makueni 区进行的描述性横断面研究，这两个农村区以谷物作为主要的能量摄入来源。共有 629 名 <60 个月的儿童随机选择参与研究。
男孩的能量摄入量始终高于女孩（P = 0.005）。更多的女孩出现发育迟缓、体重不足和消瘦的情况，分别为 51.7%（49.9-53.5）、32.1%（30.4-33.7）、4.6%（3.9-5.4），而男孩分别为 35.9%（34.2-37.7）、14.6%（13.4-15.9）和 1.2%（0.8-1.6），P < 0.001。在总计中，24.6%（23.1-26.2）的女孩严重发育迟缓，而男孩为 16.3%（15.0-17.7）。男孩的身高别年龄 Z 评分指数（HAZ）为-1.33 ± 1.86、体重别年龄 Z 评分指数（WAZ）为-0.60 ± 1.53、体重身高速率 Z 评分指数（WHZ）为 0.25 ± 1.23，均高于女孩（HAZ = -2.02 ± 1.94、WAZ = -1.37 ± 1.27 和 WHZ = -0.10 ± 1.49），均 P < 0.001。
肯尼亚东部农村地区儿童的营养不良患病率相当高。然而，由于女孩的饮食摄入始终较低，因此在所有年龄组中，女孩的发育迟缓、体重不足和消瘦发生率均高于男孩。需要进一步研究以揭示家庭内部食物分配方面性别歧视的社会和文化决定因素。
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