Resumen

BERNAL RIVAS, Jennifer  y  LORENZANA ALBERT, Paulina. Dietary diversity and associated factors among beneficiaries of 77 child care centers: Central Region, Venezuela. ALAN [online]. 2003, vol.53, n.1, pp.52-58. ISSN 0004-0622.

SUMMARY. The aim of this study was to estimate household measure diet quality, using a dietary diversity score, and its associated demographic and socio-economic factors. One hundred fifty three households representatives of the Capital District and Miranda State belonging of seventy seven day care children centers were studied. To gather data on dietary diversity, we used the food register method, collecting data on household food availability during a month. Dietary diversity at day care centers of the Capital District was 46 foods differed from that found, in Miranda State was 39 foods ( p = 0,005). Likewise it differed in beneficiaries´ households of the Capital District was 33 foods compared to those in Miranda State was 25 foods ( p = 0,000). There were 13 and 14 foods more between day care centers and the households in both states. State (Capital District or Miranda), money spent on food per person, households size and social level were variables that explained 28,9% of dietary diversity variation in households studied. Households in the Capital District had less members, spent more money on food, and a greater proportion were non-poor compared to those in Miranda. These factors could partially explain differences in diet quality among households in the two States. Whatever perspective studied indicates that the dietary diversity had a statistically significant difference between day care centers and households in states studied. Miranda State was more deficiency than Capital District. Higher dietary diversity reflects a better quality diet at day care centers compared to households studied.

Palabras clave : Dietary diversity; diet quality; food availability.