Food intake and ecology of riverine populations in two Amazonian ecosystems: a comparative analysis

Objective This article analyses and compares data on household food intake of two Amazonian riverine populations settled in different rain forest ecosystems: terra firme (land not subject to annual flooding) forest and floodplain. Methods Food surveys were carried out in 7 7 households at the floodplain area (Ituqui Island), located in the Municipality of Santarem, and in 17 households at the terra firme area (Caxiuana National Forest), located in the Municipalities of Melgaco and Portel. Household food consumption data were collected using the 24-hour food recall method. Data analysis was run in Statistical Package for Social Sciences, version 12.0. Results The results confirm, in both ecosystems, the central roles of fish and manioc in the local diet. Nevertheless, other secondary food items, e.g. acai (in Caxiuana) and milk (in Ituqui) are also important. In addition, sugar stands out as a reliable household energy source to cope with the extreme seasonality of rain forest natural resources. In addition, there seems to be a greater caloric contribution of fish in Ituqui's diet, probably due to the higher productivity of lakes and rivers in Ituqui varzea (low and flat land alongside a watercourse). Finally, Ituqui has shown greater dependency over purchased items, whereas Caxiuana has still a strong reliance on agricultural activities and on local social and economic exchange networks. Conclusion Besides confirming the importance of fish and manioc, results have also shown that industrialized products, such as sugar play an important role in local diets, and may point towards new tendencies in food consumption related to the current nutritional transition and to the erosion of local subsistence systems.