The Ecology of Health and Nutrition of “Orang Asli” (Indigenous People) Women and Children in Peninsular Malaysia

Orang Asli (translated as “original peoples”) are the indigenous inhabitants of Peninsular Malaysia. They constitute a minority group making up approximately 0.6% of the total population of Malaysia. A high proportion in the Orang Asli community subsists on a level that is below the government’s poverty line income. Despite progress in economic development and continuous efforts by the government, the health of Orang Aslicontinues to lag behind that of the general population. These health differentials are particularly pronounced among the nutritionally vulnerable groups such as women and children. The mean energy intake of Orang Asli is often below the recommended energy and nutrient levels. The long-term insufficient intake of energy and nutrients coupled with physically active lifestyle could explain the high prevalence of chronic energy deficiency in Orang Asli women. This condition could further undermine the women’s health as well as reproductive and productive capabilities. Besides chronic energy deficiency, recent studies also showed that overweight and obesityhas emerged among the Orang Asli women. Prevalence of anaemia and iodine deficiency disorders is also high among the women. Underweight and stunting in young children are often found in one-third to three quarters of the population groups studied. While efforts to improve the health and nutritional status of the Orang Asli community deserve serious attention, equally high priority should be accorded to the poor schooling performance of the Orang Asli children. Without substantially increasing the number of Orang Asli children enrolled in primary and secondary schools, the prospect of socio-economic advancement of the Orang Asli appears bleak. They willremain trapped in the vicious socio-ecological cycle of low education and skills, poverty, poor nutrition and health. Author’s Address: Zalilah Mohd Shariff Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Medicineand Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Malaysia Address for Correspondence: Prof. Dr. Geok Lin Khor, Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Facultyof Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, MalaysiaPhone/Fax: 603-8947 2460, E-mail: [email protected] © Kamla-Raj Enterprises 2008Health and Nutritional ProblemsTribes and Tribals, Special Volume No. 2: 67-77 (2008)of Indigenous PopulationsKaushik Bose, Guest EditorECOLOGY OF HEALTH AND NUTRITION OF ORANG ASLI IN MALAYSIA Comm. Health. Thesis, Universiti Putra Malaysia,