Ecology fo the health and nutrition in Ecuadorian Amazonia (province of Napo). II. Colonists of the petroleum zone

The amazonian region of Ecuador is the site of a powerful migratory influx for colonizing new lands. 1/3 of the settlers come from the coastal part of the country and 2/3 from the andean part (Sierra). To cope with their new situation, people carry out cash crop cultivations and adopt stereotyped food consumption patterns. Though they do not suffer from any important food shortages, the dietary quality of foods is poor and nutritional deficiencies are observed. Prevalence rate of parasitic infestation is high and infectious diseases are common. About 10% of the children are moderately undernourished and more than 50% denote growth retardation. The extent of growth retardations varies according to the geographical origin of families. Children from the coast having a faster growth than their andean counterparts. The differences could be explained by the fact that coastal families, coming from an area with ecological and climatic characteristics closed to those encountered in Amazonia, are less out of their element than the Sierra's. It seems that fortune of settlers improve with time, however the evolution of the colonization process and its consequences on the health status of populations is almost unknown. The magnitude of this phenomenon, the number of countries involved and people concerned emphasize the need for more substantial research on the scope.