Análisis del estado de la composición en la dieta alimentaria de las familias de dos grupos de forma comparativa de los cantones Santa Lucia en la provincia del Guayas y Salcedo en la provincia de Cotopaxi

Abstract

Malnutrition represents a problem of great importance within the country, affecting the population in general. This issue poses a serious public health risk in Ecuador, leading the country to allocate significant resources to treat diet-related diseases instead of prioritizing preventive health measures. To address this situation, a research study focused on analyzing the composition of the dietary intake in two groups of households whose economic activity is agriculture, located in the main regions of agricultural production in the country. Comparative data was obtained through surveys and interviews based on the 24-hour dietary recall method. The aim was to determine the level of food access through the Household Dietary Diversity Score (HDDS) and the consumption of macronutrients in the diet. Additionally, data on sociodemographic characteristics, living conditions, and food acquisition methods were collected to evaluate their influence on eating habits. The research findings revealed that, overall, households in both groups demonstrated a high level of dietary diversity (HDDS). However, significant differences were observed in the consumption of macronutrients, with the consumption of fats and carbohydrates being considerably higher compared to the Sierra group in both sample groups. This disparity is directly correlated to the geographic location of the households and their patterns of macronutrient consumption.