Fiber intake is lower and added sugar and saturated fat intakes are higher than recommended for >50% of the Mexican population aged ≥1 y. These results highlight the importance of improving the diets of the overall population to reduce the risk of noncommunicable chronic diseases.

Objective. To assess the validity of a 140-item semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire (SFFQ), in Mexican adolescents and adults. Materials and methods. Dietary intakes using a SFFQ and two 24-hour dietary recalls (24DRs), in nonconsecutive days during the same week were measured from 178 adolescents and 230 adults participating in the Mexican National Health and Nutrition Survey-2012. Validity was evaluated using correlation coefficients (CC), deattenuated CC, linear regression models, cross-classification analysis, and the Bland-Altman method. Results. In adults, deattenuated correlation coefficients between the SFFQ and the 24DRs ranged from 0.30 for folate to 0.61 for saturated fat. In addition, 63% adults and 62% adolescents were classified in the same and adjacent quartile of nutrient intake when comparing data from SFFQ and 24DRs. Conclusions. The SFFQ had moderate validity for energy, macronutrients and micronutrients. It also had good validity to rank individuals according to their dietary intake of different nutrients.

Objective. To describe the methodology used to clean up and estimate dietary intake (DI) data from the SemiQuantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire (SFFQ) of the Mexican National Health and Nutrition Survey 2012. Materials and methods. DI was collected through a shortterm SFFQ regarding 140 foods (from October 2011 to May 2012). Energy and nutrient intake was calculated according to a nutrient database constructed specifically for the SFFQ. Results. A total of 133 nutrients including energy and fiber were generated from SFFQ data. Between 4.8 and 9.6% of the survey sample was excluded as a result of the cleaning process. Valid DI data were obtained regarding energy and nutrients consumed by 1 212 pre-school children, 1 323 school children, 1 961 adolescents, 2 027 adults and 526 older adults. Conclusions. We documented the methodology used to clean up and estimate DI from the SFFQ used in national dietary assessments in Mexico.

BackgroundThere is growing evidence that quality, rather that quantity of fat is the determinant of cardiovascular risk. The objective of the study is to describe quantitatively the intake and adequacy of fatty acid classes among the Mexican population aged 5-90 years from a probabilistic survey.MethodsDietary intake of individual and classes of fatty acids was computed from the dataset of the 2006 Mexican National Health and Nutrition Survey (ENSANUT2006), collected by a food frequency questionnaire. Adequacy was calculated in reference to authoritative recommendations.ResultsThe mean intake of total fatty acids (TFA ≈ 25%E) fell within WHO recommendations; the intakes of saturated fatty acids (SFA) among all age-groups (45-60%) and of trans fatty acids (TrFA) in 30% of school-age children and adolescents and 20% of adults exceeded international recommendations. The mean intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and particularly of n6 and n3 PUFAS, was inadequately insufficient in 50% of the sample.ConclusionsThe main public health concerns are the high intake of SFA and the suboptimal intake of PUFA in Mexican population. The TrFA intake represents a low public health risk.

The intake of vitamins among Mexicans is inadequate overall. Information collected by ENSANUT can help target food assistance programs and develop strategies to prevent vitamin deficiencies.

Mexico's Oportunidades program provides conditional cash transfers, nutrition education, health services, and fortified food supplements for the young children of poor families. We have documented the effects of the program on growth and reduction of anemia. To better understand the impact pathways and disentangle the relative effects on dietary intake of the food supplements compared with other program components, we analyzed data from a randomized effectiveness evaluation of the Oportunidades program in rural children aged 12-59 mo. All Oportunidades beneficiaries received the cash transfers and the health and education components, but some children did not consume the supplements. The children's diet was evaluated using a single 24-h recall. The impact was estimated using multiple linear regression models with community-level random effects. Comparisons were made among children who received all the benefits of Oportunidades, including the fortified food supplement (SG), beneficiaries of the program who did not consume the food supplement (NSG), and the control group (CG). Relative to the NSG and CG, respectively, the SG consumed greater amounts of [mean (95% CI)]: energy, 94 (28, 160) and 111 (43, 180) kcal/d; iron, 7.6 (6.3, 8.9) and 7.7 (6.5, 9.0) mg/d; zinc, 7.5 (6.4, 8.6) and 7.6 (6.5, 8.7) mg/d; and vitamin A, 0.109 (0.071, 0.147) and 0.120 (0.080, 0.159) mg retinol equivalents/d. No differences were found between the NSG and CG (P > 0.05). To conclude, the Oportunidades program had a positive impact on the diet of children. The effects of the program on dietary intake resulted from the food supplement and not from improvements in the home diet. Our findings are useful for identifying which program components contributed to the effects on the nutritional status of children.

EBF and PreBF at 3 mo were associated with lower adiposity and serum total cholesterol in children at 4 y. In addition, BF >12 mo was associated with lower adiposity. These data confirm the importance of exclusive BF and prolonged BF for later cardiometabolic health.

recomendables y no recomendables para consumo cotidianoy su asociación con características sociodemográficas enpoblación mexicana. Material y métodos. Informacióntomada de la Encuesta Nacional de Salud y Nutrición 2018-19, utilizando un cuestionario de frecuencia de consumode alimentos. Se estimaron cuartiles de consumo de sietegrupos de alimentos por grupo poblacional. Se analizó laasociación del consumo con tipo de localidad, región y tercilesde condición de bienestar (ICB). Resultados. Pertenecera localidades urbanas, región norte e ICB medio y alto seasoció con mayor posibilidad de estar en los cuartiles másaltos de consumo de huevo y lácteos y carnes procesadas,mientras que la región sur se asoció con mayor consumo deleguminosas y bebidas endulzadas. Conclusión. En el surde México se consume más frutas, pero menos leguminosas,huevo y lácteos, mientras que en localidades urbanas seconsume más carnes procesadas, botanas, dulces y postres.