“It Is Not Natural Anymore”: Nutrition, Urbanization, and Indigenous Identity on Bolivia’s Andean Plateau

Abstract

The objective of this article was to characterize how urbanization and indigenous identity shape nutrition attitudes and practices in El Alto, a rapidly urbanizing and predominantly indigenous (Aymara) community on Bolivia's Andean plateau. We took a qualitative ethnographic approach, interviewing health care providers ( n = 11) and conducting focus groups with mothers of young children ( n = 4 focus groups with 25 mothers total [age = 18-43 years, 60% Aymara]). Participants generally described their urban environment as being problematic for nutrition, a place where unhealthy "junk foods" and "chemicals" have supplanted healthy, "natural," "indigenous" foods from the countryside. Placing nutrition in El Alto within a broader context of cultural identity and a struggle to harmonize different lifestyles and worldviews, we propose how an intercultural framework for nutrition can harmonize Western scientific perspectives with rural and indigenous food culture.

Food Perceptions and Dietary Changes for Chronic Condition Management in Rural Peru: Insights for Health Promotion

“…On the other hand, there is conflict between the people recognizing vegetables and fruits as “good” food, and the insufficient consumption of these fruits and vegetables because they are not available or are not affordable. As other studies have reported [ 24 , 25 ], we also found that when foods are not available within the community, participants do not buy them outside due to negative perceptions about consuming food from an unknown source. Yet, there is an increasing consumption of cheap processed foods, such as noodles.…”

Factors influencing obesogenic behaviours of adolescent girls and women in low‐ and middle‐income countries: A qualitative evidence synthesis

“…The full‐text review resulted in a total of 72 included references 56‐127 reporting on a total of 71 studies from 27 different countries, with 23 studies conducted in Africa, 34 in Asia, and 14 in South America. Figure 1 shows details of references screened, included and excluded, and Table 1 shows the general characteristics of the included studies.…”

“…Traditional gender roles in the household, such as cooking for the family, tempted adult women to eat more, 94 and taking care of children kept women from engaging in physical activity 112 . Prioritizing and adapting to the husband and children's dietary preferences have also been reported 85,86,116 . While women would prefer home‐cooked meals, they agreed to eat at restaurants at children's request, 116 or previously, vegetarian women would start eating meat if their husband was not vegetarian 85 …”

“…( 76 Indonesia, adolescents)On all continents, participants observed a transition from traditional and local to modern and imported foods. This was also apparent in terms of generational changes in diets between grandparents and the adolescents 82,86,127 . However, particularly in South American studies, participants framed this transition in terms of the loss of indigenous, not just traditional foods.…”

“…Food availability in urban areas was usually perceived as better than in rural areas 56,85,88 . This was more nuanced, as fruit and vegetables in rural areas were perceived as more accessible, available and of better quality, 83,85,86,88 whereas in urban areas, the availability of unhealthy foods was increasing 86 . Urban life was also associated with sedentary lifestyles due to increasing mechanization and technology 69,85,111,112,116 .…”