Under the conditions of the present study, zinc absorption was not increased by the long-term use of low-phytate maize in children whose major dietary staple is maize.

The critical nutrient density concept is useful to evaluate the nutrient adequacy of the infant's diet. Fortified foods are essential sources of the main 'problem nutrients', namely calcium, iron and zinc, given that natural sources are scarce.

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Despite residing in an optimal geographic location for sunlight exposure, nearly 65 % of study adolescents were either insufficient or deficient in vitamin D. Correction and long-term prevention of this nutritional problem may be instrumental in avoiding adverse effects in adulthood attributed to low 25(OH)D during adolescence.

Soto-Méndez MJ, Campos R, Hernández L, Orozco M, Vossenaar M, Solomons NW. Food variety, dietary diversity, and food characteristics among convenience samples of Guatemalan women. Salud Publica Mex 2011;53:288-298. AbstractObjective. To compare variety and diversity patterns and dietary characteristics in Guatemalan women. Material and Methods. Two non-consecutive 24-h recalls were conducted in convenience samples of 20 rural Mayan women and 20 urban students. Diversity scores were computed using three food-group systems. Variety and diversity scores and dietary origin and characteristics were compared between settings using independent t-test or Mann-Whitney-U-test. Results. Dietary variety and diversity were generally greater in the urban sample when compared to the rural sample, depending on the number of days and food-group system used for evaluation. The diet was predominantly plant-based and composed of non-fortified food items in both areas. The rural diet was predominantly composed of traditional, non-processed foods. The urban diet was mostly based on non-traditional and processed items. Conclusion. Considerations of intervention strategies for dietary improvement and health protection for the Guatemalan countryside should still rely on promotion and preservation of traditional food selection. Soto-Méndez MJ, Campos R, Hernández L, Orozco M, Vossenaar M, Solomons NW. La variedad, diversidad y características de la dieta en muestras de conveniencia de mujeres guatemaltecas. Salud Publica Mex 2011;53:288-298. 289 salud pública de méxico / vol. 53, no. 4, julio-agosto de 2011 Food variety and diversity in Guatemalan women Artículo originAl * Doak C M, Hamelinck V, Vossenaar M, Panday B, Soto-Méndez MJ, Campos-Ponce M. Evaluating food menus from day care centers in Guatemala City: Descriptive and analytical approaches. Nutrition 2011 (in press).

The 1997 World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research (WCRF/AICR) Report provides 14 individual guidelines to reduce global cancer risk. The positive deviance approach could be appropriate for creating class-appropriate, healthy eating menu guides for consuming a diet to minimize cancer risk in Guatemala. Guatemalan adult participants (n = 873) were enrolled in the Concordance Project from 3 socioeconomic strata: rural area (n = 301), lower urban (n = 298), and higher urban (n = 274). Participants with intakes below recommended nutrient intakes and current smokers were excluded from the analysis. Concordance with 14 selected WCRF/AICR individual guideline components was evaluated. We selected participants for making a set of 14 rotating menus for a cancer prevention healthy eating guide. A priority sorting through the 873 participants of the survey identified a total of 23 and 21 model participants, respectively, from the rural and urban poor groups (concordant with 12 of 14 recommendation components) and 15 from the urban middle class (concordant with 11 of 14 recommendation components), with the highest degree of concordance with the WCRF/AICR guidelines. The most commonly violated recommendation was sugar consumption, followed by maintaining weight stability. The FFQ for 14 individuals from each class were transformed into a day menu to create a rotating diet guide derived from members of each social group. A potentially useful personal guide for eating compatibly with adequate nutrient intake and reduced cancer risk, appropriate to the culture and economic means of distinct social classes in Guatemala, is approaching the stage for application.

The infants in this low-income community are approximating the recommended AI for daily water through the currently selected pattern of lactation and CF.

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