nutricional Assessment of the food patterns of immigrant Ecuadorian population in Southern Spain based on a 24h food recall survey

Introduction: Ecuador is a country with limited nutritional information, with exception of some general studies supported by Food Agriculture Organization (FAO) Aims: to carry out a nutritional assessment of the diet of Ecuadorian immigrant population in Southern Spain to determine differences in food patterns and possible nutritional deficiencies. Methods: the nutritional assessment was based on a 24-h food recall survey applied to the Ecuadorian population residing in Seville and Córdoba (Spain) in combination with the application of national and international food composition data bases. Nutrient intake levels and fulfillment of Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) were estimated and statistically tested for social, sex, age and geographical factors. Results: macronutrient distributions and nutrient intake levels in relation with DRIs were adequate in most cases. Importantly, Ecuadorian food habits were still present in immigrant population, with rice being the main energy source. Intakes levels were significantly different for several nutrients depending on age group, sex, place of residence and professional occupation. Comparison with previous nutritional data from Ecuador revealed a better nutritional status of immigrant population in Spain, though deficiencies in fiber, vitamin E, I and Se were detected in the diet of both populations. Nevertheless, data for these deficiencies were insufficient to be conclusive given both limitations in the food composition data bases (e.g. Se) and the lack of more adequate information tools for its assessment (e.g. long-term studies for vitamin E). Conclusions: the results in the present study evidenced that Ecuadorian immigrants in Spain showed more adequate food patterns that those reported for Ecuador. These EVALUACIÓN DEL PATRÓN ALIMENTARIO DE LA POBLACIÓN ECUATORIANA INMIGRANTE EN EL SUR DE ESPAÑA BASADO EN UN ESTUDIO DE RECORDATORIO DE ALIMENTOS DE 24 HORAS Introducción: ecuador es un país con limitada información nutricional con la excepción de algunos estudios de carácter general realizados por FAO (Food Agriculture Organization). Objetivos: realizar una evaluación nutricional de la dieta de la población inmigrante ecuatoriana en el sur de España para determinar diferencias en los patrones alimentarios y posibles deficiencias nutricionales. Métodos: la evaluación nutricional se basa en un estudio de recordatorio de alimentos de 24 horas llevado acabo sobre la población ecuatoriana residente en Sevilla y Córdoba (España) en combinación con la aplicación de bases de datos nacionales e internacionales de composición de alimentos. Se estimaron los niveles de ingesta de nutrientes y el cumplimiento de las ingestas dietéticas de referencia (IDR) que se analizaron estadísticamente para los factores, genero, edad, profesión y ciudad. Resultados: según las IDR utilizadas, la distribución de macronutrientes y los niveles de ingesta de nutrientes fueron, en la mayoría de los casos, adecuadas. De manera destacada, se constató que los hábitos alimentarios ecuatorianos permanecieron en la población inmigrante, con el arroz como fuente principal de energía. Los niveles de ingesta fueron significativamente diferentes para diferentes nutrientes dependiendo del grupo de edad, sexo, lugar de residencia y ocupación profesional. Comparando estos datos con un estudio previo en Ecuador reveló que la población inmigrante en España presenta un mejor estado nutricional, si bien en ambas poblaciones se detectaron deficiencias en fibra, vitamina E, I y Se. En cuanto a estas deficiencias, los resultados no pueden considerarse concluyentes debido a limitaciones propias de las bases de datos (por ej. Se) y a la carencia de estudios adecuados que permitan una evaluación más precisa (por ej. estudios de larga duración para vitamina E). Conclusiones: estos resultados evidencian que la población inmigrante ecuatoriana presenta un patrón alimentario más adecuado que el documentado para la población Ecuador. Estos resultados pueden ser útiles para Correspondence: Fernando Pérez Rodríguez. Dpto. de Bromatología y Tecnología de los Alimentos Campus Universitario de Rabanales, C-1 14014 Córdoba (Spain) E-mail: b42perof@uco.es Recibido: 18-X-2014. 1.a Revisión: 21-I-2015. Aceptado: 8-V-2015. 051_8244 Assessment of the food.indd 863 14/07/15 16:49 864 Nutr Hosp. 2015;32(2):863-871 Juan Alejandro Neira-Mosquera et al. Introduction The Ecuadorian emigrant population constitutes the largest immigrant population group in Spain with an increasing trend over the last years. According to the Spanish Institute of Statistics (INE)1, 406,333 Ecuadorians reside in Spain, which means 0.85 % of the Spanish population. The change of culture can also affect food habits of immigrant populations. It has been suggested that acquisition of new food habits of populations migrating from a country of food scarcity to a nation of food abundance such as Spain, could lead to the development of nutritional disequilibria. These are related to high fat and energy intakes, reduction in the complex carbohydrates and fiber, high simple sugar consumption and specific deficits of certain vitamins and minerals together with an excessive consumption of alcohol2, 3. Given the impact of immigration on food habits and in consequence of their health status, it is of relevant interest to assess the nutritional quality of the diet of Ecuadorians in Spain and the possible influence on the health and welfare of this specific subpopulation in Spain. So far, little nutrition and food habit information is available about these specific populations in Spain. Therefore, this information, if available, might be used to develop effective nutrition interventions, including educational programs or specific recommendations to mitigate certain nutritional deficiencies or unhealthy food habits in this specific population. An appropriate tool to estimate food habits is the method of 24-h food recall which can help to obtain a good approximation to the real intake, provided questionnaires are applied on at least two different days (preferably 3) and none of them concerns weekend intake in which diet usually differs from the rest of the week. Following this, food pattern data of the studied diet can be turned into nutritional intake values through the use of food composition data bases, providing a preliminary assessment of the nutritional status of these population groups.