Resumen de Dietary Intakes and Micronutrient Adequacy Related to the Changing Livelihoods of Two Pastoralist Communities in Samburu, Kenya
Lora Iannotti, Carolyn K. Lesorogol
Pastoralist communities have traditionally depended on animal foods in their diets. Environmental and political pressures in recent years have led millions to agriculture and other income diversification strategies. This longitudinal study of two pastoralist communities with differing land tenure systems compared the probability of micronutrient intake adequacies in relation to livelihood transitions. Three waves of social, economic, and dietary intake data using 24-hour recalls were collected in 2000, 2005, and 2010, under different environmental conditions (n = 200). The pastoralist diet derived an average 49% of energy from maize, followed by sugar (13%), and milk (11%), and showed high probability of inadequacies for vitamins A, B12, and C. Panel regression modeling revealed income, education of household head, cattle and chicken ownership, and beans and rice consumption were positive determinants of dietary diversity (overall adjusted R2 = .33; P < .001). Livestock ownership predicted nutrient adequacy for vitamin A, B12, and zinc, while income predicted vitamin C adequacy. No differences by community, except for folate and vitamin C adequacy, were found. Future strategies to improve nutrition among pastoralists should uphold livestock production and associated milk and meat consumption; improve access to fruits, vegetables, and legumes; and offer general poverty alleviation services.
