Objective:

Describe the dietary and agricultural patterns of households with malnourished children in two socioeconomically distinct Maya communities in order to identify specific areas of focus for future interventions.

Methodology:

Surveys were conducted in 25 households from each community. The surveys included dietary recalls, a household food insecurity questionnaire and a crop inventory.

Results:

Despite differences in poverty, maternal education and regional malnutrition prevalence, the two samples did not differ substantially regarding food insecurity, dietary patterns and agricultural patterns. In Tecpán and San Andrés Semetabaj, respectively, 72% and 64% of children met the World Health Organization standard for minimum acceptable diet despite suffering from chronic malnutrition, as evidenced by linear growth retardation. Sugary drinks were frequently consumed by women and children. Ancestral vegetables were cultivated and consumed in both communities, but by a minority of households. Altogether, the most cultivated vegetables were chilies (38% of households), chayote (30%), peas (24%), hierba mora (20%) and quilete (14%).

Limitations:

The samples were of convenience and did not allow for comparisons of households with and without chronic malnutrition nor for generalizability of the results. The evaluations omitted quantities of foods consumed and animal husbandry practices.

Conclusions:

Taking into account the study results, we propose that future interventions should focus on indigenous agriculture given the ancestral agricultural knowledge that still exists within the communities, on nutritious options to replace the industrialized nutritionally-deficient foods that have infiltrated into the communities and on other non-dietary factors including hygiene conditions, living conditions, poverty and commercial agriculture.

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