FOOD ALLOCATION IN RURAL PERUVIAN HOUSEHOLDS - CONCEPTS AND BEHAVIOR REGARDING CHILDREN

Intrahousehold food allocation is an important determinant of child he alth and survival. In this paper I explore the ways in which food is d istributed to young children in Ura Ayllu, a farming community located in the southern Peruvian highlands (Province of Sandia, Department of Puno, Peru). Quantitative data on energy intake and growth status are analyzed for two groups of children: toddlers (one through three year s) and preschoolers (four through six years). The analyses indicate no gender differences in energy intake or growth among toddlers (one thr ough three years) and preschoolers (four through six years) and that y oung children do not appear to be deprived of food relative to older h ousehold members, especially adults. Relative to standards specific to Andean populations, the mean caloric content of the toddler diet fall s slightly below the estimated requirement for that age group while th e preschooler diet is found to be calorically adequate. This paper als o examines the ideological bases that shape food allocation within hou seholds. Regarding the local concepts and cultural rules that guide fo od allocation to children, Ura Ayllinos view young children as develop mentally immature and believe their dietary and health needs are diffe rent from those of older children and adults. Infants and young childr en are considered weak (debil) and vulnerable to illness. Parents stat e that young children should not feel hunger which is thought to weake n a person and make him more susceptible to the natural and supernatur al agents that cause illness. Certain dietary practices, such as on-de mand breastfeeding and snacking between meals, suggest that parents tr y to avoid the experience of hunger and the potential for illness by m aking food available to their children. This study suggests that young Ura Ayllu children are viewed as having a right to food based on loca l concepts of child development, personhood, and general health mainte nance. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.