Food education promotes the consumption of amaranth to improve children’s nutritional status

Abstract

Children’s nutritional status is vulnerable to food crises, especially in rural areas. Likewise, lack of knowledge about food and unhealthy consumption habits increase the risk of malnutrition. Focused food education and the use of traditional local crops, such as amaranth, can benefit nutrition and food security, enriching the local food culture. The objectives of this study were to promote the consumption of amaranth through food education in order to observe its effect on children’s nutritional indicators and present the methodology implemented to promote the use of this food resource in the study area. A mixed, explanatory and longitudinal design was proposed. A baseline evaluation was carried out for nine children between three and eight years of age from Tochimilco, Puebla, who consumed 20 g/day of popped amaranth as a complement to homemade dishes for five months; individual food workshops were implemented and anthropometry and consumption patterns were monitored. By means of food education focused on families, amaranth became conspicuous and was consumed as part of the regular diet; even during the health pandemic, it remained available, accessible and stable in the family food scheme. Its consumption and the variety of dishes increased following food education, in all cases. Regarding the anthropometric indicators, seven cases improved and the final diagnosis was healthy, but two cases were found to be overweight at the end. It was concluded that focused food education helps incorporate amaranth into regular food and makes it possible to improve the nutritional status of children even during food crises.