Food Changes and Geography: Dietary Transition in Colombia

BACKGROUND: The food transition can no longer be studied in developed countries because the so-called Western diet now predominates in these areas. However, in developing countries, it is still possible to study the food transition. It is a novel concept that complements other transitions such as the demographic, economic, nutritional and epidemiological transitions. OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to a) estimate the average departmental adherence to the three pre-established food patterns, b) assess adherence patterns based on the Global Spatial Analysis, c) evaluate whether the Local Spatial Variations in the adherence to food patterns are random or follow defined patterns (cluster) and d) generate 2D maps to graphically locate the food patterns that compose the phenomenon of the food transition occurring in Colombia. METHODS: The National Survey of the Nutritional Situation in Colombia, 2010 was analyzed. Based on factor analysis, three consumption patterns were established; Protein/Fiber, Snack and Snack and Traditional/Starch and the average departmental adhesion was estimated. The global and local spatial variation was calculated with the Moran indexes. FINDINGS: the average adherence to the traditional consumption/starch pattern was –0.00 (95% CI: –0.12 to 0.12). The mean adherence to the protein/fiber intake pattern was –0.07 (95% CI: –0.16 to 0.03). The average adherence to the pattern of snack consumption was –0.03 (95% CI: –0.11 to 0.05). The three patterns of food consumption values for the Global Total Moran Index, for men and women were positive and statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: The food transition experienced by Colombia is not homogeneous and there are well defined clusters for adherence in the three predefined food patterns. Within the clusters there are differences by sex. In regions where the traditional pattern/starch predominates, the presence of the snack pattern is very weak.