RESUMEN
Nutrition policymakers frequently treat their knowledge of nutrition as acultural and universal. We analyze food guidelines in Mexico and Guatemala to draw attention to embedded, but often unrecognized, cultural values of standardization and individual responsibility. We suggest that nutrition policy would be improved by attending to the cultural values within nutrition science, and that nutrition guidelines should attend not only to other people's cultures but to what we are calling "cultures of nutrition." We conclude by offering an example of an adaptive approach to policy-making that may be useful for handling situations where many different cultures of nutrition collide.
Asunto(s)
Dieta/etnología , Política Nutricional , Salud Pública , Antropología Médica , Guatemala/etnología , Guías como Asunto , Humanos , México/etnologíaRESUMEN
The anthropology of linguistics, food, and nutrition sciences has a key role with regard to taking a critical look at the Guatemalan Food Guidelines (GFG). These GFG are communicated to native communities to interpret their eating patterns and the structural cognitive interpretation of these food groups in a cultural context. Our understanding of food is informed by cognitive structure represented by language. Since food is fundamental in human cultural identities, understanding food and food categories from the perspective of Mayan indigenous groups should be a fundamental pillar of health, food, and nutrition. The purpose of this research was to explore the GFG and compare them to K'iche' understandings of food groups in terms of cognitive structural similarities and differences. The research was carried out in the field by way of semi-structured interviews and participant observation among K'iche' Mayan families in Nahualá (Western Guatemala) to compare and contrast data collected on K'iche' food groups and corresponding cognitive structure with previously published findings on the GFG. These findings were confirmed through fieldwork, though some of the nuances of subcategories have changed, and significant stress was placed on 2 food groups: wa (corn-based food) and ri'kil (non-corn-based food). The research concludes that the cognitive structure and understanding of food groups and their uses communicated through K'iche' language differ significantly from the hierarchical, technical description of food groups communicated through the GFG. In order to strengthen public health approaches to food and nutrition, indigenous knowledge must be respected, learned, and integrated into GFG.
Asunto(s)
Dieta , Alimentos , Desnutrición/prevención & control , Política Nutricional , Necesidades Nutricionales , Antropología , Guatemala , Humanos , Grupos de PoblaciónRESUMEN
El maní y ajonjolí, son dos fuentes importantes de macronutrientes y micronutrientes. El objetivo del estudio fue evaluar la ganancia de peso, calidad proteica y digestibilidad en ocho dietas compuestas a base de dos leguminosas, en ratas Wistar durante cuatro semanas. Las dietas se clasificaron en dieta control; dieta A (leche descremada), dieta B (libre de nitrógeno), dietas C, D, E, F (conformadas por 100%, 75%, 50%, 25% de maní complementadas con leche descremada), y dietas G, H, I, J (conformadas por 100%, 75%, 50%, 25% de ajonjolí, complementadas con leche descremada). Se encontraron diferencias significativas en la ganancia de peso en relación a la dieta control, principalmente en los grupos de ratas que consumieron la dieta D, maní 75% con un valor medio después de las cuatros semanas de 226.00 g (SD=55.29)(p<.05), dieta H, ajonjolí 75%, con un valor medio de 218.16 g (SD=56.28)(p<.05), y dieta I, ajonjolí 50%, con un valor medio de 216.83 g (SD=45.86)(p<.05). Las dietas formuladas con leche y leguminosas fueron de alta digestibilidad (96% - 100%), con un índice de eficiencia proteica de 2.73, muy similar al encontrado en la dieta control. Estas formulaciones basadas en leguminosas podrían tener potencial uso en la nutrición humana.
Peanuts and sesame are two important sources of macronutrients and micronutrients. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the weight gain, protein quality and digestibility of eight legume-based diets in Wistar rats during a period of four weeks. The diets were classified as: control diet, diet A (skim milk), diet B (nitrogen free), diets C, D, E, F (with peanuts in a proportion that varied from 100%, 75%, 50% to 25%, mixed with skim milk), diets G, H, I, J (with sesame in a proportion that varied from 100%, 75, 50% to 25%, mixed with skim milk). The study showed significant differences in weight gain when comparing with the control diet, particularly with diet D (75% peanut) with 226 g (SD=55.29) (p<0.05), diet H (75% sesame) with 218.16 g (SD=56.28) (p<0.05), and diet I (50% sesame) with 216.83 g (SD=45.86) (p<0.05). The study showed that the diets with skim milk and legumes were highly digestible (96% - 100%), with protein efficiency ratio (PER) of 2.73, very similar to the control diet. These formulations are promising and have potential implications for human nutrition.
RESUMEN
Con el objetivo de apoyar el plan del Gobierno de Guatemala para reducir las tasas de desnutrición crónica, el Instituto de Nutrición de Centro América y Panamá (INCAP) desarrolló un Alimento Complementario Listo para Consumir (ACLC), el cual está hecho con una base de pasta de maní, leche y micronutrientes para aportar un rango entre el 50 y el 60% de las recomendaciones diarias en micronutrientes, según el INCAP para niños de 6-24 meses de edad. El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar la aceptabilidad y uso del ACLC en niños de 6 a 24 meses de edad (estratificados en grupos de 6-12, 13-18 y >18 meses de edad) y sus madres, en una comunidad rural maya q'eqchi' con alta vulnerabilidad a la desnutrición crónica infantil, ubicada al norte de Guatemala. 46 fueron evaluadas por medio de pruebas sensoriales y grupos focales. 43 niños fueron evaluados a través del consumo del alimento, durante un período de ocho semanas. La aceptabilidad global del alimento por parte de la madre ("le gusta") fue de un 89.8%. La aceptabilidad en 43 niños, evaluada en la séptima semana de intervención (S7), mostró una mediana de consumo de 31.9 + 1.7 g por día (93.8% del producto disponible, cuyo peso promedio fue de 34.0 g por paquete), lo cual fue comparable en los tres grupos etarios estudiados. En conclusión, el ACLC tuvo una aceptabilidad y uso adecuados en la población estudiada, lo que respalda continuar el desarrollo y uso de esta formulación, como una alternativa en la implementación de programas preventivos de la desnutrición crónica infantil en Guatemala
To support national government plan to reduce infant chronic malnutrition rates in Guatemala, (Spanish acronym of: Institute of Nutrition of Central America and Panama) INCAP developed a formula called Complementary Food Ready for Consumption (Spanish acronym: ACLC). It is made of peanut paste, milk and micronutrients. This formula covers around 50 to 60% of daily micronutrients recommendations (INCAP 2012) for 6-24 months' infants. The objective of this study was to assess the acceptability and use of ACLC (Maní+) in mothers and infants between 6-24 months (stratified in groups of 6-12, 13-18 y >18 months of age), in a Q'eqchi´ Mayan rural community located in the north of Guatemala, which has a high chronic child malnutrition rate. Forty six mothers were evaluated through sensory tests and focus groups. Furthermore, forty three infants were evaluated through the formula consumption during a period of eight weeks. Food Global acceptability from mothers (they like it) was 89.8 %. Acceptability in forty-three infants was assessed after seven weeks of intervention. It showed a food consumption of 31.9 +1.7 g per day (93.8% of available product, which average weight was 34.0 g per sachet), which was compared among three age range. Therefore this study showed that ACLC had a good acceptability and appropriate use in the study population. This study bears to continue the use and development of this formula, as an option for preventive programs implementation of infant chronic malnutrition in Guatemala.