Agricultural Food Production Diversity and Dietary Diversity among Female Small Holder Farmers in a Region of the Ecuadorian Andes Experiencing Nutrition Transition.

Christopher L Melby,Maria José Romero,Fadya Orozco,Fabián Muñoz,Amparito Barahona,Jenni Averett

doi:10.3390/nu12082454

Abstract

Some rural areas of Ecuador, including the Imbabura Province of the Andes Highlands, are experiencing a double burden of malnutrition where micronutrient deficiencies persist at the same time obesity is increasing as many traditional home-grown foods are being replaced with more commercially prepared convenience foods. Thus, the relationships among agricultural food production diversity (FPD), dietary diversity (DD), and household food insecurity (HFI) of the rural small holder farmers need further study. Therefore, we examined these associations in small holder farmers residing in this Province in the Andes Highlands (elevation > 2500 m). Non-pregnant maternal home managers (n = 558, x age = 44.1, SD = 16.5 y) were interviewed regarding the number of different agricultural food crops cultivated and domestic animals raised in their family farm plots. DD was determined using the Minimum Dietary Diversity for Women Score (MDD-W) based on the number of 10 different food groups consumed, and household food insecurity (HFI) was determined using the 8-item Household Food Insecurity Experience Scale. The women reported consuming an average of 53% of their total food from what they cultivated or raised. Women with higher DD [MMD-W score ≥ 5 food groups (79% of total sample)] were on farms that cultivated a greater variety of crops (x = 8.7 vs. 6.7), raised more animals (x = 17.9 vs. 12.7, p < 0.05), and reported lower HFI and significantly higher intakes of energy, protein, iron, zinc, and vitamin A (all p < 0.05). Multiple regression analyses demonstrated that FPD was only modestly related to DD, which together with years of education, per capita family income, and HFI accounted for 26% of DD variance. In rural areas of the Imbabura Province, small holder farmers still rely heavily on consumption of self-cultivated foods, but greater diversity of crops grown in family farm plots is only weakly associated with greater DD and lower HFI among the female caretakers.

Highlights

To ensure adequate nutrient intake conducive to health, eating patterns that include a diversity of food groups is considered important [1]
We chose to study rural-dwelling women residing on small holder farms in the Imbabura province of the Ecuadorian Highlands because little is known about the relation between agricultural production diversity, dietary diversity, and household food insecurity in an area of Ecuador where small holder farm plots are shrinking, farms are located at high altitude, some small holder farming has given way to craftsmanship and entrepreneurship linked to tourism, and the nutrition transition away from ancestral traditional foods to more commercially prepared foods is rapidly occurring
We considered the possibility that female household managers on these small holder farms might obtain less food from self-cultivation in favor of more commercially processed foods, which could weaken the relation between agricultural food production diversity (FPD) and dietary diversity (DD), and contribute to overweight and obesity

Summary

Introduction

To ensure adequate nutrient intake conducive to health, eating patterns that include a diversity of food groups is considered important [1]. Nearly two billion people suffer from micronutrient deficiencies which contribute to a large societal health burden resulting in impaired cognitive and physical development, weakened immunity in children [2] and adults, lower school performance, and lost productivity [3]. Maternal undernutrition contributes to fetal growth restriction and the totality of maternal and childhood undernutrition (energy and micronutrient deficiencies, stunting, wasting, and inadequate breast feeding) in low and middle-income countries contributes to millions of deaths each year [4]. Both maternal and childhood obesity are increasing, which coupled with micronutrient and protein deficiency increase risk for both communicable and non-communicable diseases [4].

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