Maternal Nutritional Status in Pastoral versus Farming Communities of West Pokot, Kenya: Differences in Iron and Vitamin A Status and Body Composition

Abstract

Women from the farming community in West Pokot, Kenya, have lower iron stores during the third trimester of pregnancy than women in the pastoral community. In addition, the mean weight of their newborn infants is lower than that of infants in the pastoral community. These findings may be associated with differences in living conditions, which are usually harsher in farming than in pastoral communities.