Social Predictors of Diet Quality in Galapagos, Ecuador

OBJECTIVE: To examine the social predictors of diet quality and adequacy in Galapagos, Ecuador. METHODS: Data came from the 2012 Ecuador National Health and Nutrition Survey (N=665). Diet quality was operationalized by applying the Dietary Quality Index-International to 24-hour dietary recall data. Multivariate linear regression models were utilized to examine how social factors were associated with overall diet quality and dietary adequacy. Additionally, multivariate linear regression models were used to examine the social predictors of adequate intake of iron and calcium, which are both important for human growth and development, in respondents ages 18 and younger. RESULTS: Households that were larger, rural, and food insecure predicted lower dietary quality and adequacy. Women and respondents identifying as Mestizo had poorer diet quality. Having a head of household that was native to the Galapagos also predicted poorer diet quality and adequacy. For respondents under 18, adequate intake of iron was poorer for girls, especially those under age 5, in addition to boys under age 5. CONCLUSION: These results correspond with findings from similar studies examining the social determinants of diet quality. As the population of Galapagos continues to grow, so will the pressures on food systems and human health. Understanding the social predictors of diet quality is important for informing interventions that aim to reduce the dual burden of underweight/infectious disease and overweight/obesity in the Galapagos Islands.Bachelor of Art