The Ok Tedi Health and Nutrition Project, Papua New Guinea: Physique, growth and nutritional status of the Wopkaimin of the Star Mountains

Abstract

A survey was carried out to establish baseline anthropometric and health data in the Wopkaimin, a small group of Mountain Ok-speaking hunter-horticulturalists who live in a remote and isolated part of the Highland fringe of Papua New Guinea, where a major gold and copper mine is being developed. Malaria is hyperendemic in the region and infant mortality has been estimated at approximately 230 per thousand. A 79% sample of the population was examined and the results of the anthropometric survey are reported. Wopkaimin childrens' heights and weights are well below the 50th percentile of British standards throughout growth; at maturity boys' weights and girls' heights and weights are at or below the 3rd percentile, and boys' weights are just above the 10th percentile. Wopkaimin children lag far behind British children in percentage of adult height achieved at all ages, and appear to attain maturity at least four years later. This relatively slow growth and short adult stature may represent an adaptive response to chronic nutritional deprivation, for which there is evidence from skinfold thickness and arm circumference measurements. Younger adults are significntly taller, heavier, fatter and more muscular than older adults; possible explanations for this are discussed. Within the sample, individuals living in villages less than a day's walk from the mine town are significantly taller, heavier and fatter than those living further away, and there are also similar significant anthropometric differences between employed and unemployed men. Ready food availability which has come with the mine development appears to be the most likely explanation for these differences. A continuing study of changing patterns of health and nutrition in the area has been initiated.

Altered growth patterns of a mountain Ok population of Papua New Guinea over 25 years of change

“…However, comparison of birth weights (Mean 6 SD) for the early interval 1963-1970 (2663.9 6 526.8 g, n 5 124), which predated impact from Ok Tedi mine, and the recent interval 1995-2000 (2854.9 6 595.3 g, n 5 104) did reveal a significant increase (P < 0.01). Similar birth weights have been reported in another region of West Sepik Province, where changes in socioeconomic conditions suggested a secular trend in birth weights (Tracer et al, 1998 (Hyndman et al, 1989;Lourie et al, 1986;Ulijaszek et al, 1989). The Wopkaimin are Mountain Ok speakers, closely related to Telefolmin in language and culture, who live in the immediate vicinity of the Ok Tedi mine.…”

“…The Wopkaimin are Mountain Ok speakers, closely related to Telefolmin in language and culture, who live in the immediate vicinity of the Ok Tedi mine. Previously more remote and inaccessible than Telefomin, this area was dramatically transformed by the development and opening of the Ok Tedi mine (Hyndman, 1994;Hyndman et al, 1989;Lourie et al, 1986).…”

“…The studies of Wopkaimin carried out in [1982][1983] found that factors associated with increased height and weight include age, employment by the mine, and residential proximity to the mine (Lourie et al, 1986), all consistent with increased availability of food (Lourie et al, 1986).…”

Sex differences in child nutritional and immunological status 5–9 years post contact in fringe highland Papua New Guinea

“…Data regarding height, weight, and AC are sufficient to allow comparison with several contemporaneous populations of Papua New Guinea, including residents of Manus island and two highland fringe groups, the Bundi (Gende) and Wopkaiman (Eveleth and Tanner, 1990; Lourie and Taufa, 1986; Schall, 1991; Ulijaszek, 1990; Zemel and Jenkins, 1989). The Bundi are a geographically proximate group in Madang province with a longer history of contact and of medical, nutritional, and economic modernization, with data available from 1966 to 1967 and from 1983 to 1984, following improvements in child growth status (Zemel and Jenkins, 1989).…”

Blood folic acid, vitamin B12, and homocysteine levels in pregnant women with fetal growth restriction

“…The mean gestational age was 38.6 ± 2.1 weeks, and the average birth weight was 38.6 ± 0.91 kg. The fetuses were divided into the FGR group (28 cases), appropriate for gestational age (AGA) group (62 cases), and large for gestational age (LGA) group (26 cases) according to the 15 cities newborns physique growth measurement value standards published in 1986 (Lourie et al, 1986).…”