Composition and nutritional value of lunches and breakfasts purchased outside the households in urban Guatemala.

Composition and nutritional value of lunches and breakfasts purchased outside the households in urban Guatemala.

Nutrición Hospitalaria, November 2014

25617580

Michele Marie Monroy-Valle, Karin Monroy Valle, Pablo Francisco Toledo Chaves

The National Survey of Family Income and Expenditure (ENIGFAM 2009-2010), showed that a third, and almost two thirds of Guatemalans purchased outside the home breakfast and lunch. To determine the composition, nutritional value and price of breakfast and lunch menus purchased outside the home in urban areas of three departments. A descriptive study. We got nutritional value of energy, carbohydrates, proteins and fats, by direct weight of a sample selected through convenience in Guatemala, San Marcos and Quetzaltenango. We evaluated the nutritional content of 159 breakfasts and 162 lunches, plus evaluate nutritional value of 10 complementary recipes by the triplicate recipe method. The menus were acquired from Monday to Friday in diners and street vendors. The median price was Q9.00 (U.S. $ 1.13) for breakfast and Q12.75 (U.S. $ 1.59) for lunch. Breakfast ration weighted 425,4g breakfast with 5 or more preparations per menu. Lunch weighted 832,5g, with 5 or more preparations per menu. At 100 grams, the medians of the nutritional value of breakfast was 127,5Kcal; 4,0g of protein; 4,2g of fat; 18,7g of carbohydrate; lunch was 109,3Kcal; 3,8g of protein; fat and 17,3g; 2,7g carbohydrate. It was concluded that the menus correspond to the pattern of consumption (or purchase) of the Guatemalan population described in the National Basket of Goods and Services and in the Basic Food Basket, with high amounts of refined carbohydrates, saturated fat and little protein.