Center for Indigenous Health Research, Wuqu' Kawoq | Maya Health Alliance, Tecpán, Chimaltenango, Guatemala.
Unidad de Cirugia Cardiovascular de Guatemala, Guatemala and Fundación Aldo Castaneda, Guatemala City, Guatemala.
Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2020 May;1468(1):16-24. doi: 10.1111/nyas.14183. Epub 2019 Jul 30.
In low- and middle-income countries, gender norms and access to energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods are well-studied determinants of food and physical activity choices for adolescent girls. However, most work has been done in urban and school settings. In many settings, a large proportion of the adolescent population is rural or not enrolled in school. We conducted in-depth interviews with 20 adolescent girls (ages 15-19) in Tecpán, Guatemala, a rural, largely indigenous Maya community. Interviews were coded and themes analyzed for insights into eating habits, food choices, and physical activity. Twelve participants were enrolled in school and eight were employed and not in school. Girls enrolled in school had more disrupted eating schedules and consumed more energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods. Girls not enrolled in school had fewer opportunities for physical activity and were more sedentary. To our knowledge, this study is the first in a low- and middle-income country to consider diet and physical activity of adolescent girls enrolled and not enrolled in school. Key implications include (1) the need to reduce exposure to nutrient-poor foods and promote healthy eating schedules in schools, and (2) the need to create community-based opportunities for the activity for girls no longer enrolled in school.
在中低收入国家,性别规范和获取高能量、低营养食物是影响青少年女性食物和身体活动选择的重要因素,这一点已经得到了充分研究。然而,大多数研究都是在城市和学校环境中进行的。在许多环境中,很大一部分青少年人口居住在农村地区或没有上学。我们在危地马拉的 Tecpán 进行了深入访谈,该地区是一个以农村为主、以土着玛雅人为主要居民的地区,参与者为 20 名年龄在 15 至 19 岁的青少年女孩。对访谈进行了编码和主题分析,以深入了解她们的饮食习惯、食物选择和身体活动情况。其中 12 名参与者在上学,8 名有工作但不上学。上学的女孩饮食时间更不规律,摄入的高能量、低营养食物更多。不上学的女孩身体活动机会较少,更久坐不动。据我们所知,这项研究是在中低收入国家中首次考虑在校和不在校的青少年女孩的饮食和身体活动情况。主要意义包括:(1)需要减少在学校中接触低营养食物的机会,并促进健康的饮食习惯;(2)需要为不再上学的女孩创造基于社区的活动机会。