Evaluation of the Dietary Guidelines for the Argentine Population: inequality by income level and by region

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: The Dietary Guidelines for the Argentine Population (GAPA) provide recommendations for a healthy diet. The objective of this work was to evaluate the compliance with the recommendations of GAPA between 1996 and 2018 by income level and by region of the country in the period 2017-2018. METHODS: A descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted, with expenditure and income data from the National Household Expenditure Survey for 1996-97, 2004-05, 2012-13 and 2017-18. Average daily apparent consumption was compared with the recommendations of guidelines for each food group. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed. RESULTS: Food groups with apparent consumption lower than recommended were observed, such as vegetables, fruits, milk, yogurt, legumes, nuts and seeds; groups with consumption two to three times higher than the maximum value established in the dietary guidelines, such as sugars and fats; and groups with adequate quantity but limited variety, such as meats, oils, cereals, bread and pasta. Over time, a gradual turn away from the recommendations was observed in fruits, milk, legumes, nuts, seeds and discretionary foods, with greater inadequacy in some regions of the country and more evident in lower-income households. DISCUSSION: It is evident that there are important differences, both quantitatively and qualitatively, between the recommended and the Argentine diet, with more pronounced imbalances in the most vulnerable groups.