title: Food variety, dietary diversity, and food characteristics among convenience samples of Guatemalan women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare variety and diversity patterns and dietary characteristics in Guatemalan women.
  
  
  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.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  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.
authors: Center for Studies of Sensory Impairment, Aging and Metabolism (CeSSIAM), Guatemala City, Guatemala.
authors: María José
authors: MJ
authors: Soto-Méndez
authors: Raquel
authors: R
authors: Campos
authors: Liza
authors: L
authors: Hernández
authors: Mónica
authors: M
authors: Orozco
authors: Marieke
authors: M
authors: Vossenaar
authors: Noel W
authors: NW
authors: Solomons
mesh_terms: D004032:Diet; D004034:Diet Surveys; D005260:Female; D005502:Food; D006166:Guatemala; D006801:Humans; D012424:Rural Population; D014505:Urban Population