Prácticas alimentarias asociadas al conocimiento del semáforo nutricional y su influencia en los hábitos alimentarios de consumidores de 18 a 64 años de la Cdla. Alborada de la ciudad de Guayaquil durante el periodo octubre 2021 - febrero 2022.

Abstract

Introduction: Currently, several of the foods consumed by the population are processed industrially, thus increasing shelf life. These products are nutritionally unbalanced, compared to unprocessed or minimally processed products, dishes and meals. The nutritional traffic light was implemented as a public health intervention measure to reduce the risk of chronic diseases and improve the food intake of consumers. Objective: To determine the food practices associated with the knowledge of the nutritional traffic light and its influence on the eating habits of consumers aged 18 to 64 years of the Cdla. Dawn. Materials and Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional, correlational and observational study was carried out. It included 40 residents of the Cdla. la Alborada of the city of Guayaquil between the ages of 18 to 64 years. For the collection of information, the questionnaire on the frequency of consumption of processed foods and a validated knowledge survey were used. Results: It was possible to show that the highest percentage of those investigated knows the nutritional labeling regulations, which represents 70%, while 30% partially knows. Conclusion: The level of knowledge influences only the intake of margarines (p<0.05) and not in the other groups of processed foods such as sweetened beverages, preserved foods and others (miscellaneous). Biochemical tests and a 24-hour recall are recommended in this population.