Diet Diversity in Mexican Preschool Children Living in Poverty Conditions (P11-096-19)

Abstract

Objectives To assess diet diversity in a national sample of children less than five years old from the lower socioeconomic tertile. Methods Data used in the present analysis comes from the National Health and Nutrition Survey ENANSUT-PROSPERA 2018 (Social inclusion program). Information from 2131 children between 1 and < 5 years old was analyzed. By using a semi-quantitative food and beverages frequency consumption questionnaire a diet diversity indicator was constructed, such indicator classified the foods in 13 groups according to their nutritional characteristics and finally divided them into two great groups: Recommended Foods Group(RFG) like fruits, vegetables, legumes, non-processed meats, dairy products and pure water and Not Recommended for regular consumption (NRFG), a group that include processed meats, fast food, fried or greasy Mexican traditional foods, snacks, sweets, desserts, sweetened cereals, dairy and non-dairy sweetened beverages. A score was calculated with the sum of the consumed food groups for each category. Results The most consumed food groups were: water, dairy products, snacks, sweets and desserts and non-dairy sweetened beverages. Less than 50% (CI 95% 39.9, 54.9) of the children consumed fruits and less than 20% (CI 95% 12.4, 24.9) reported to eat vegetables daily. Consumption of recommended foods mean was 3.7 and not recommended 2.6. Conclusions The diversity of the diet should be considered in more general terms, since it is likely related to a better quality of the diet as a whole. Is fundamental to encourage recommended feeding habits in children, because it is in this age where lifetime behaviors are acquired. NRFG consumption must be avoided considering the current overweight prevalence in the Country. Funding Sources Funding by PROSPERA.

Breakfast Nutritional Quality and Cognitive Interference in University Students from Mexico City

“…We observed a low consumption of vegetables in breakfast for all participants; this is also reported for other age groups and for every meal [46,47]. In Mexico, 28.4% of the women and about 20% of children consume the recommended intake of vegetables [48,49]. For the general Mexican population, only 6% of the total energy intake comes from fruits and vegetables [50].…”