The importance of FI among (ISA) lies in its association with economic challenges and social vulnerability, demonstrating how lack of money or opportunities to generate income create unfavorable conditions and increased vulnerability in old age (Alejandro Estrada Restrepo, 2022).
In Colombia, several tools have been developed to measure living conditions associated with specific age groups. For older adults, we have information from studies such as the Health, Well-being, and Aging Survey (SABE) conducted by the Ministry of Health, along with other statistical and sociodemographic analyses produced by the National Administrative Department of Statistics (DANE), including the Older Adult Survey in Colombia and specific statistical reports aimed at encouraging analysis and data-driven decision-making using publicly available data of public interest (DANE, 2021).
A key conclusion from the production of analytical documents on the living conditions of (AM) in Colombia is that they provide valuable insights into various dimensions of this specific population group’s life, enabling the definition of needs and strategies for implementing public policies aimed at improving and transforming these conditions.
For example, the Quality of Life Survey (ECV) offers a more recent, though broader, perspective on the state of FI in Colombia, with data corresponding to 2022 through the application of the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES).
According to the FIES results from the 2022 National Quality of Life Survey, the prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in households across the country was 28.1%. This means that 28 out of every 100 households had to reduce the quantity and quality of food consumed at least once in the past 12 months due to lack of money and other resources. Nationally, the prevalence of severe food insecurity was 4.9%, meaning that in 5 out of every 100 households, at least one person went without food for an entire day due to lack of money or other resources in the past 12 months (DANE, 2022).
For households with minors, older adults, or people aged 5 and older with disabilities, the probability of experiencing moderate or severe food insecurity increases. In households with older adults, the probability of experiencing moderate or severe food insecurity is 26.9%.
The National Federation of Poultry Farmers of Colombia (FENAVI), the most important association of egg and chicken producers, focused on this issue following the global health crisis that began in 2019 with the spread of COVID-19. They perceived a situation where the Human Right to Food (HRF) would be compromised, resting on three fundamental pillars: (i) availability, expressed in a sufficient and accessible supply; (ii) access to food, referring to a family or individual’s income to obtain it; and (iii) adequacy to the nutritional needs of the population according to their life stage and territorial dietary practices, which implies food of sufficient quality and quantity, as well as the necessary nutrients for physical, mental, social, and cultural development (Roncancio, 2023).
The FENAVI-FONAV Golden Line is a unique service focused on addressing the nutritional needs of (AM) through the application of the short Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA), understanding the dietary habits of this population, and analyzing the sociodemographic conditions of their households to identify opportunities for improving their quality of life through nutritional recommendations offered by nutritionists with a gerontological focus and the nutritional and protein value provided by eggs.
In 2023, the Golden Line has served over 2,400 older adults located in all departments and municipalities of Colombia. Additionally, screening and understanding of their nutritional condition has been applied in over 1,700 cases, providing updated and accurate data on their health and well-being. As a result, we can conclude that 71.4% of the line’s users were in an adequate nutritional state at the time of assessment.
On the other hand, we also identified that 21.5% of the older adults served were at risk of moderate malnutrition or suspected malnutrition, and the remaining 7.1% were patients with severe malnutrition.
Based on this information and understanding the users’ living conditions, the team of nutritionists proposes solutions within reach for each case and offers recommendations based on the functioning of three key systems: digestive, musculoskeletal, and nervous systems.
For the first case, the most frequent recommendation is promoting the consumption of fruits and vegetables (22.0%), followed by promoting water intake (19.5%) and protein consumption, especially eggs at least once a day (19.4%).
For the musculoskeletal and nervous systems, light walks (36.9%), flexibility exercises (22.0%), aerobic physical activity (10.3%), and recreational activities at home are recommended.
What is the effect of receiving well-being advice and nutritional consultation from the FENAVI-FONAV Golden Line?
Two months after the initial consultation, older adults who were assessed and received nutritional advice from our team are contacted again for follow-up on their progress. As a result, we found that the percentage of served individuals in an adequate nutritional state increased to 76.6% of all follow-ups. Even more encouraging, we observed that individuals with suspected malnutrition or moderate malnutrition and patients with severe malnutrition decreased to 18.0% and 5.4%, respectively.
The Golden Line offers the opportunity to directly understand, from Colombian older adults through free telephone assistance, the conditions under which they make consumption decisions and how these impact their nutritional well-being. It also provides real alternatives that enable this community to make decisions based on valuable information that demystifies egg consumption as a primary protein source and promotes healthy habits for this specially vulnerable population.
The FENAVI-FONAV Golden Line, in addition to conveying a message of health and well-being, also provides the opportunity to understand consumption patterns and dietary habits of the Colombian older adult population.
Through panel follow-up, we can regionally understand the consumption habits of the population aged 60 and older.
With data obtained in the first half of 2023 from 640 evaluated households, we first determined that the majority of OAs in Colombia involved in purchasing and preparing food are women (84%). In addition to being responsible for consumption decisions in households primarily of strata 1 and 2 (accounting for 93% of the evaluated sample), women are heads of household and generally responsible for domestic chores in 72% of cases.
The purchasing decisions made by female heads of household are accompanied by decisions about what meals are consumed at each time of the day within their family unit. For example, we found that egg consumption is preferred at breakfast in 87% of cases, and no more than 20% consume this food at lunch or dinner. However, it remains the most consumed protein for this population group. On average, more than 20 eggs are consumed weekly in 44% of households, and 15 or more in 32%.
This proves to be a very favorable message for households receiving nutritional value information from the Golden Line. First, demystifying eggs as a harmful food allows for increased protein consumption, which is a fundamental macronutrient for maintaining good health. For example, we found that the most commonly recalled myth in households is that egg yolk raises blood cholesterol levels (27.6%) or that eating eggs daily contributes to triglyceride formation (13%).
On the other hand, communicating alternative food preparation methods and innovative recipes that retain the full nutritional value of eggs allows us to provide the older adult community with the possibility of diversifying their daily diet and, consequently, their well-being.
References
– Alejandro Estrada Restrepo, N. A. (2022). Inseguridad alimentaria en hogares donde habitan adultos mayores. Medellín, Colombia. Revista Facultad Nacional de Salud Pública.
– DANE. (2021). Personas Mayores en Colombia: Hacía la inclusión y la participación. Nota estadística.
– DANE. (2022). Escala de experiencia de inseguridad alimentaria (FIES) 2022. Bogotá D.C: DANE.
– Roncancio, J. J. (2023). Seguridad alimentaria y nutricional, los retos de 2023. Periódico UNAL, 1.
