Nutrition and growth: Are food taboos worth to be condemned?
Alimentation et croissance: Faut-il condamner les interdits alimentaires?
Résumé
Growth is known to be dependant of the qualitative as well as the qualitative values of children's diet. Among forest populations, vulnerable categories, such as pregnant and lactating women, have to respect numerous food taboos which detend symbolic as well as social functions. These taboos concern numerous species rich in protein content, such as game. This assertion had upset numerous nutritionnists of the 50-70ies. Some thirty years ago, although the protein factory like tropical forest showed numerous food taboos which were respected, the rate between forbidden and allowed species was high. Nevertheless, at this time, weaning was delayed and the majority of the most frequent species of the diet was not concerned. Nowadays, game is not so abounding, due to an overexploitation related to new trading behaviours. Conversely, a great number of forbidden species is no more respected. Consequently, the protein value of the diet has declined, but this harmfull fact has been countered by the evolution of social behaviours, such as abandoning most taboos. That is why, one can consider that the harmfull effect of food taboos should be considered within the global context of feeding behaviours, in other terms the ecological and social dynamics related to food availability and food choices.
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