[Impact of consumption of corn flour with low level enrichment in children of rural zones]. / Impacto del consumo de harina de maíz con un bajo nivel de enriquecimiento en niños de zonas rurales.

INTRODUCTION: Corn has been from the prehispanic era, the most important feeding plant in the Mexican population, particularly in the most important sectors and in marginal areas. In this setting, enriching the product as flour implies an increase in its nutritional quality, especially because corn is the basic food. OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of the consumption of corn flour enriched with 3% soybean, vitamins, and minerals on the growth and development of infants and preschool children. MATERIAL AND METHODS: experimental study lasting 10 months. The experimental group (n=195) received enriched corn flour whereas the control group (n=200) received non-enriched flour. The indicators were: nutritional status, mental and psychomotor development, and blood hemoglobin levels. RESULTS: in the total sample, there were no differences between the experimental group and the control group. However, there were improvements in the weight-to-height and weight-to-age indexes in the children consuming enriched flour and in children older than one year, who were the babies of indigenous women living in marginal areas. CONCLUSIONS: enriched corn flour appears to be an alternative benefitting the children population with higher nutritional deficiencies. However, a longer intervention is necessary to obtain better results.

Impacto del consumo de harina de maíz con un bajo nivel de enriquecimiento en niños de zonas rurales / Impact of consumption of corn flour with low level enrichment in children of rural zones

Introducción: El maíz ha representado desde la época prehispánica, la planta más importante como alimento de la población mexicana, particularmente en los sectores mayoritarios y zonas marginales. En este contexto el enriquecimiento del producto como harina, implica el aumento de la calidad nutritiva del mismo, especialmente porque el maíz es un alimento básico. Objetivo: Evaluar el efecto del consumo de una harina de maíz enriquecida con un 3% de soja, vitaminas y minerales, sobre el crecimiento y desarrollo de niños lactantes y preescolares. Material y métodos: Estudio experimental con una duración de 10 meses. El grupo experimental (n = 195) recibió harina de maíz enriquecida; mientras que el grupo control (n = 200) recibió harina sin enriquecimiento. Los indicadores fueron: estado nutricional, desarrollo mental y psicomotriz y los niveles de hemoglobina sanguínea. Resultados: En la población total no se observaron diferencias entre el grupo experimental y el control. Sin embargo, existieron mejorías en los índices de peso para talla y peso para edad en los grupos de niños que consumieron la harina enriquecida y en el caso de los niños mayores de un año; siendo hijos de mujeres indígenas que residían en localidades marginadas. Conclusiones: La harina de maíz enriquecida muestra ser una alternativa que beneficia a la población infantil con más deficiencias nutricionales. Sin embargo, se requiere de una intervención más prolongada de tiempo, para tener mejores resultados (AU)

Introduction: Corn has been from the prehispanic era, the most important feeding plant in the Mexican population, particularly in the most important sectors and in marginal areas. In this setting, enriching the product as flour implies an increase in its nutritional quality, especially because corn is the basic food. Objective: To assess the effect of the consumption of corn flour enriched with 3% soybean, vitamins, and minerals on the growth and development of infants and preschool children. Material and methods: experimental study lasting 10 months. The experimental group (n = 195) received enriched corn flour whereas the control group (n = 200) received non-enriched flour. The indicators were: nutritional status, mental and psychomotor development, and blood hemoglobin levels. Results: in the total sample, there were no differences between the experimental group and the control group. However, there were improvements in the weight-toheight and weight-to-age indexes in the children consuming enriched flour and in children older than one year, who were the babies of indigenous women living in marginal areas. Conclusions: enriched corn flour appears to be an alternative benefitting the children population with higher nutritional deficiencies. However, a longer intervention is necessary to obtain better results (AU)

El subsidio a la tortilla en México: un programa nutricional o económico? / The tortilla subsidy in Mexico: a nutritional or economic program?

To evaluate the impact of the tortilla subsidy on the family food consumption, on its economy and on the nutritional condition of women and under five children, from three marginal zones, with the purpose of focus nutritional interventions. Fifty families were randomly selected in each one of three similar low income sectors of the Oaxaca city. One received subsidy, other has never received it and the third received it five years ago but not at present. Anthropometry was performed in all women of reproductive age and children under five years old. In the first BMI was the indicator used and in children weight for age with two standard deviations was the cut-off point. The tortilla represents between 13.6 per cent to 20 per cent of the family expenditure. Anyhow the energy, protein and some nutrient consumption was higher. The malnutrition index was better in the subsidy community as 12.0 per cent of under five children were low weight for age against 19.2 per cent in the other two communities. The tortilla family expenditure represents 45 per cent of their income and the subsidy reduces it 9 per cent, surely this help a better nutrient consumption and improves the nutritional condition of the poor and marginated urban sectors of the society.

Sale of street food in Latin America. The Mexican case: joy or jeopardy?

Have you ever visited a public market in Mexico, Guatemala, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Peru or Brazil? Have you ever stopped to eat delicious Mayan-style pork tacos, turnovers filled with corn fungus or squash flower, octopus stuffed crepes, crab, cassava, 'alcapurrias' or grasshoppers with lime juice and chili, agave worms or a 'come back to life' seafood cocktail? If you have not, you have been missing a large part of the Mexican, Guatemalan, Panamanian, Colombian, Venezuelan, Peruvian and Brazilian folklore, taste, smell and color. And if you have visited these countries, it will be easier for you to understand the information in this chapter.

[Evaluation of food consumption patterns and nutrition in 4 rural communities]. / Evaluación de los patrones alimentarios y la nutrición en cuatro comunidades rurales.

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of agricultural change and subsequent social change on the nutritional situation of 4 communities of different regions and climates, that since the 70's have changed from traditional corn production to commercial sorghum production. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A new dietetic and clinical survey (1996) was performed to follow-up the changes in the 4 communities studied 12 years before (1984). RESULTS: The food consumption pattern continued changing, with more dietary diversification, better protein quality and less corn consumption. The child nutrition status on average was better. This happened in spite of the fact that the sorghum production was in a crisis and the communities partially returned to corn production, diversified production or migrated from the communities. CONCLUSIONS: In spite of first abandoning traditional corn production and later having problems with the commercial product (sorghum), the communities are still improving their nutrition. This is mostly due to implementing certain survival strategies, to receiving support from the people from the community who migrated and to a better food availability.

[Guides for food and nutrition. A didactic proposal]. / Guías de alimentación y nutrición. Una propuesta didáctica.

The nutritional habits are changing, and compromising in a lot of cases the health of the population. A preventive measurement is to educate in the eating manners and the hygienic orientation, since both are essential in order to change eating attitudes and habits. The purpose of these guides was to aid in the training of health workers as well as to orient the Mexican population in improving their eating habits and nutrition. These guides were prepared taking into account the social and cultural characteristics of the population and were based on educational methodology of participation, with the intention of adapting them to each population group. Initially a critical analysis of the diverse material and methods used in nutritional education of urban and rural populations, was carried out and a lack of systematized methods and existent content was observed. Thus, the development of a didactic integral proposal of the nutritional education was considered necessary. The guides contain eleven modules with the most excellent information on nutrition during the life's cycle, hygienic handling and conservation of the foods. Each module contains ideas for the instructors and examples of exercises that they could propose to the population. Didactic units or guides with similar structures were designed conformated by introduction, basic concepts, educational content, bibliography, suggestions for further reading and techniques. The guides were included in a practical manual of easy use designed for health care working with public, including the educationally. The material has been used as an aid in diet and nutrition programs in Mexico and in courses proportionated to general public, where the result of the effectiveness learning index was 89%. The results obtained demonstrate the efficacy of these guides and suggest a longer term prospective study to determine real impact of our proposal.

[Family and individual consumption of table salt in the State of Mexico]. / Consumo familiar e individual de sal de mesa en el Estado de México.

The present study was carried out within the framework of the State Program for the Fluoridation of Table Salt in the State of Mexico. An estimate of the daily consumption of salt was carried out by home interviews in four communities within the state. Such communities covered a wide range of urban-rural population and socio-economic status, as well as several concentrations of fluoride in drinking water and sources of distribution of salt. Results showed that the daily consumption of salt for children 1-3 years old had a mean of 1.9 g/day, while children 4-6 years old consumed a mean of 3.4 g/day. Adult males (23-50 years old) consumed a mean of 6.9 g/day and adult females (23-50 years old) consumed 5.4 g/day. Although these estimates may overestimate the real intake of table salt, based on these data the additional intake of fluoride would be of 0.5, 0.8, 1.7 y 1.3 ppm/day for each of these groups.

[Experiences in community participation to promote nutritional education]. / Experiencias en participación comunitaria para promover la educación en nutrición.

This paper presents several experiences obtained in the Rural Research Center of the Solís Valley in relation to community participation programs. The main objective of these projects was to improve the nutritional practices of children in the rural areas of highland Mexico. As first experience, small groups were formed with mothers, fathers, married couples and teenagers. Each of these groups started a project oriented to promote nutritional self-sufficiency. One group of mothers was successful in assuring the provision of government subsidized milk in their community. A second group of mothers started a chicken-raising farm, but the project failed because all the chicken died in an epidemic. The group of fathers started a sheep-raising project as the first step to get a milk-producing cow. The sheep-raising was successful, but when the sheep were sold each man in the group kept the revenue to himself and the group disappeared. The married couples were successful both in a home-gardening project and in a chicken-raising farm. The teenagers were also successful with their home-gardening project and acted as "injection groups" to spread the project in other communities. As a second experience in community participation, community health workers taught mothers how to use locally available food to improve their diets, preparing culturally acceptable food recipes. This intervention was successful in increasing mother's awareness of a balanced diet. A second intervention combined the presentation of a drama ("peasant's theater") in order to increase mother's participation in these projects.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Child malnutrition in the Mexican rural environment: an analysis of national nutrition surveys]. / La desnutrición infantil en el medio rural mexicano: análisis de las encuestas nacionales de alimentación.

The national food surveys of 1974, 1979 and 1989 were analysed in order to evaluate the levels and tendencies of the malnutrition prevalence in children one to five years old. The malnutrition prevalence maintained its level with minor changes: it increased from 49 to 53 per cent in the group with -1 SD, and from 17 to 19 per cent in those with -2 SD, in relation with the WHO [correction of OMS]-NCHS standards. If the information is analysed by social sectors, it is possible to conclude that the apparent stability is due to a process of nutritional polarization: the areas that had lower figures improved as the poor and Indian areas with high prevalence of initial malnutrition deteriorated even more.