A Study of Diet Composition and Transition among Indigenous Communities in the Northern Ecuadorian Amazon

Many indigenous communities have undergone epidemiological and nutritional transitions as urbanization places them closer to non-local markets. This study assesses diet composition and variation among a cross-cultural sample of Cofán, Huaorani, Kichwa, Secoya, and Shuar communities to better understand how diet may serve as an early predictor of nutritional transition in the Northern Ecuadorian Amazon. Food consumption was measured in 311 adults from eight communities using the repeated 24-hour recall method (n=4204). The sample shows that communities maintain access to forest fruits, vegetables, and animals. However, frequency and diversity of market foods suggest that communities are vulnerable to changes in diet composition. Dietary differences persist within and between indigenous groups. Diet composition and variation point to urbanization as a key driver of changing diet patterns. Future analyses of nutrient intakes and biomarker profiles will afford greater insights for alleviating dual burden of nutrition as stressors of market integration intensify.Master of Art