The nutrition transition and the double burden of malnutrition: changes in dietary patterns 1961-2009 in the Mexican socioeconomic context

The purpose of this study was to identify whether there were changes in the composition of dietary patterns from 1961 to 2009, if food patterns by income level and the increase in the price of certain basic foods of the diet in the socioeconomic Mexican context, could explain the nutrition transition and the double burden of malnutrition. We conducted an ecological study with data from FAO balance sheets. To construct eating patterns cluster analysis was performed. Engel curves were developed with data from the 2012 INEGI ENGH survey and evolution of therelative price of some foods was calculated. The diet was defined in three dietary patterns. The increase in the total availability of energy increased from 2316 kcal/person/day in 1961 to 3146 in 2009. Dietary pattern modifications are in line with the nutrition transition and the double burden of malnutrition. It was observed that the energy derived from cereals and from legume (common beans) was significantly reduced, and simultaneously, the energy from sugars, animal foods and vegetable fats had a dramatic increase. Spending on food was differential according to income level. Malnutritionis mediated by the unequal distribution of income, the relatively low cost ofenergy-dense foods, the increased cost of nutritious foods, and limited support to agriculture.