Diet patterns and nutritional intake in a Costa Rican community
1984
Sellers, Stephen G.
Extract: Agricultural practices of family farmers have both economic and nutritional implications. Farmers respond, in part, to national food policy and their produce contributes to domestic supply and the national economy. Data from a survey of 26 family farm households in Costa Rica were analyzed for energy and nutritional content and budget and farming strategies were evaluated. Energy intakes were found to be most limited relative to recommended intake. The diet staples, rice and beans, provided the largest caloric share while a significant proportion was supplied by cane sugar. While households varied considerably in the purchase, or home growing, of different foods, production of cash crops is shown to be advantageous relative to subsistence production. The burden of food subsidies on the national economy may shift that arrangement and the traditional carbohydrate sources--taro, cassava, maize and bananas--might take on renewed importance. (author)
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