Rainfall and birthweight distribution in rural Tanzania
- 31 July 1984
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Cambridge University Press (CUP) in Journal of Biosocial Science
- Vol. 16 (3), 375-384
- https://doi.org/10.1017/s0021932000015194
Abstract
Summary: Seasonal variations in birthweights over a 10-year period are compared with the local rainfall pattern in a rural area of Tanzania. Mean birthweight falls by about 60 g in the course of the rainy season. Lagged regression analysis reveals a negative impact of rainfall on birthweight after 3 months. Deviations from average rainfall show a positive correlation with birthweight after 4 months, but only in the months when rainfall is critical for food crop production. The interactions of these contrary effects are held responsible for the sudden fluctuations in mean birthweight that were observed.Keywords
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