Assessment practices of food and nutrition in a population exposed to arsenic: a proposal to integrate nutritional risk indicators

Abstract

Introduction: The contamination of water with arsenic is a public health problem. Nutritional status, foods habits and exposure source of this metalloid, can reduce its toxicity. Objective: The objective of the study was to assess feeding and nutrition practices into communities in the state of Guanajuato exposed to arsenic and to identify some nutritional risk indicators that contribute to the health effects of metalloid. Methods: A cross seccional study, a survey was applied to 30 heads of household, who were selected from a previous study, where the presence of arsenic in children was analyzed; culinary practices, food consumption, sociodemographic characteristics were evaluated. Results: The average of integrants per family was of six and the average monthly income per household was 259 USD. Containers mainly used to prepare foods, such as soups, were based pewter, aluminum and glazed earthenware. Consumption of fruits and vegetables was low, with little variety, with a high consumption of soda and other foods that do not add nutrients like antioxidants. In addition to food offered from the first year of life is not age appropriate. Conclusion: We detected the culinary and dietary practices as risk in a population exposed to arsenic, where the low consumption of nutrients that promote the detoxification of metal were low. As these practices should be considered as indicators in assessing the health effects of exposure to metalloid and other contaminants.