Patterns of food consumption in riverine communities in the mid-Solimões river region - Amazonas - Brazil

Abstract

This is a cross-sectional study conducted with 492 riverine residents in the rural area of Coari (AM) to identify food patterns in the mid-Solimões river region and associated factors. Food intake was evaluated using a brief Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ), and principal component analysis was used to identify dietary patterns. The association with socioeconomic variables was evaluated using generalized linear models. Four dietary patterns were identified: “vegetables” (vegetables, tubers, fruit); “Brazilian” (chicken, eggs, rice, beans); “traditional riverine” (fish, flour, milk); “meat and candies” (game and pork, candies). The “vegetable” pattern was associated with education (p = 0.001), number of rooms in the house (p = 0.005) and greater proximity to urban areas (p = 0.004). The “Brazilian” pattern was associated with the female sex (0.013), higher income (p < 0.001) and greater proximity to urban areas (p = 0.001). The “traditional riverine” pattern was associated with distance from the urban area (p < 0.001), and the “meat and candies” pattern was associated with age (p = 0.029), education (p < 0.001) and proximity to urban areas (p = 0.003). The extractive nature of riverine food intake is still present in more isolated communities, and consumption of other food items was associated with better social conditions.

Key words:
Amazon; Rural population; Food pattern