The term tradition often evokes colorful images.
Traditions are generally enriching practices passed generationally
within any cultural sphere. For example, musical styles, textile
patterns, family hierarchies, and food preparations represent
some basic elements of cultural heritage that link generations.
Though unifying, traditions can also drive the preservation
of potentially detrimental practices within a cultural community.
Although our cultural background may bias our perceptions,
when measured against strong health evidence, some traditional
health practices are clearly problematic. University of San
Carlos student Marina Lool Cuc worked with the Ezra Taft Benson
Agriculture and Food Institute to investigate one of these
potentially detrimental practices in rural Guatemala.
Marina Lool Cuc investigated a common but questionable practice
regarding the breast-feeding and nutrition of infants. Through
observation and interviews, Lool discovered that many mothers
in the eastern Guatemalan communities of Salitrón, Chancó,
and Corral de Piedra believe that newborns should not be breast-fed
until they are at least a day old. Instead of their mother’s
milk, newborns often receive juices and oil-based beverages.
Furthermore, when the mother commences breast-feeding, she
usually continues to supplement the baby’s diet with these
other liquids.
Unfortunately, these common dietary alternatives do not contain
the valuable nutrients and antibodies available through breast
milk. According to the authors of Nutrition, breast milk—particularly
the early secretion of colostrum— supplies immunity factors
to infants in the period before the development of their own
immune systems and serves other special purposes in the physiology
of a newborn human (Nieman, Butterworth, and Nieman, 1990).
As a result of reduced consumption of breast milk, many children
suffer from illness and stunted physical development in the
first year of their lives. Their health often falls short
of optimal levels later in life.
To thoroughly assess the effects of common breast-feeding
practices, Lool completed a series of interviews and measurements.
First, she questioned mothers to determine the time of commencement
and the average duration of breast-feeding. In her interviews,
she also inquired about what foods mothers feed their children
while weaning them.
The next phase of her investigation consisted of weighing
and measuring these infants (under 12 months of age) to determine
their nutritional state. She evaluated these measurements
by comparing weight/height, height/age, and weight/age measurements,
using the guidelines determined by the National Center for
Health Statistics (NCHS).
The results of Lool’s study elicit concern. A large percentage
of mothers wean their children at six months of age or earlier
(see Figure 1), while the suggested weaning age is nine months
(though after six months the infant’s diet must be supplemented
with other foods).
As would be expected, the local breast-feeding habits correspond
with detrimental effects on the growth and development of
the community’s children. In fact, according to height/age
data, 28 percent of the children manifested mild growth stunting,
6 percent were moderately affected, and 6 percent severely
stunted.
Stunted growth, which is evaluated by height/age comparisons,
indicates a history of malnourishment, especially during early
childhood. Low birth weight or poor diet during infant months
often leads to stunting. Present malnourishment is determined
through weight/height measurements. A child who does not meet
the suggested weight for his or her height is considered “wasted.”
Thirteen percent of the children measured were mildly wasted
under these criteria. Lool found that common weaning foods
such as tortillas, bean broth, coffee, bread, chicken broth,
and some fruits are low in several nutrients essential during
the first year of life. These foods are used in weaning partly
because of economic conditions, but tradition plays a stronger
role than money. |
