Research Methods in Nutritional Anthropology (United Nations University, 1989, 201 p.): 4. The relevance of time-allocation analyses nutritional anthropology: The relationship of time and household organization to nutrient intake and status: Appendix 1. Messer, mitla field notes, 4 September 1980

Research Methods in Nutritional Anthropology (United Nations University, 1989, 201 p.)

4. The relevance of time-allocation analyses nutritional anthropology: The relationship of time and household organization to nutrient intake and status

		(introduction...)
		Introduction
		Methods of data collection
		Processing and interpreting data
		Procedures for collecting and analysing time-activity data efficiently and effectively
		Conclusions
		References
		Appendix 1. Messer, mitla field notes, 4 September 1980

Appendix 1. Messer, mitla field notes, 4 September 1980

7	Ma making tortillas (L[5 yrs], baby [1.5 yrs] watching her. Ch [4 yrs] still asleep in house).
7.20	Ma sends L to get the tortilla basket - if she won't fall down.
	Ch gets up. Ma asks if his cough is gone. He says Yes.
	Ma breaks out a new bottle of Nescaf$60 pesos, note in Conasupo $57).
7.25	L says that she wants to wash her face. Ma and Pa say yes. There's water.
7.26	Ma puts up pot for almuerzo [first main meal].
	Ch says he wants to drink [coffee].
	Ma puts 2 tablespoons lard in pot, for cooking eggs.
7.30	Ma sends Ch with Pa to get bread from inside [bread stored in basket by altarplace].
	Ma calls Pa to eat.
	Pa comes. Plays with baby.
	Baby: drinks a bit of Fanta [orange pop], 15 g bread, 20 g egg with lard.
	Pa: 1 (200 ml) bowl coffee, 43 g bread, 90 g, 84 g, 83 g tortillas, 1 piece egg, 1 chilito, 10 g pasta with chilito.
	Ch: 1/4 cup coffee, 41 g bread (he gives a piece to baby; tells her to blow on it [since it is soaked in hot coffee]. 13 g egg, 24 g tortilla.
7.35	Ma tells L to bring her petate [palm mat]. She looks for it. Ma tells her where to find it.
7.35	L imitates her: "L, L, L." She comes back with two pieces of bread.
7.37	Pa sends L for can-opener, but Ma goes after it since she knows it is high up.
7.37	Ma: 1 bowl coffee, 48 g bread. 74 g, 39 g, 40 g tortillas, 26 g pasta (leftover), 24 g egg, 3 chilies.

Calculations of time of mother

7-7.37 Food preparation, tortillas

Child care

(Times are calculated as day proceeds, just summing minutes from starting to end of activities.)

Time allocations (summing minutes over the day allocated to food preparation, child care, household maintenance, rest, cash work, visiting, shopping)

FP	CC
49	(12)^a
12	(25)
63	(23)
23	(20)
15	20
(32)	(15)
	20
197	45
(229)	(140)

Then calculate these totals as percentages of total time observed. Compare across days.

a. Parentheses indicate mother was engaged in more than one activity at the same time.