Resumen

CABALLERO, Eira de  y  ATALAH S, Eduardo. EVALUATION ON THE ACCEPTABILITY AND CONSUMPTION OF NUTRICREMA IN THE REPUBLIC OF PANAMA. Rev. chil. nutr. [online]. 2003, vol.30, n.2, pp. 133-140. ISSN 0717-7518.  http://dx.doi.org/10.4067/S0717-75182003000200007.

The objective was to analyze the acceptability, consumption and tolerance of Nutricrema in people from different areas of Panama. An Observational descriptive study in different health facilities located in twenty districts of the country, providing information on the acceptability and consumption of «Nutricrema» in children 6 to 59 months of age, by pregnant and lactating women, was done. An interview was prepared with information related to the socioeconomic status of the family and of the frequency of retirement, consumption, methods of preparation and level of tolerance of Nutricrema among the members of each family. Data was analyzed according to «priority» and «non priority» districts, type of beneficiary and ethnic group. Significant differences were considered with a value of p < 0.05. The study included, 747 children less than five years old and 704 pregnant women. Approximately one third of the families were considered as native. This ratio was significantly higher in «priority districts». Eighty percent (80%) of the beneficiary members received the «Nutricrema» on a regular basis. The average consumption was 6.4 ± 1.4 days per week, 3.0 ± 1.1 servings/day and 99 ± 64 grams of the Nutricrema/day. Most of the population (90%) did no show food intolerance to Nutricrema. We concluded that acceptance and consumption of this food supplement was high in mothers and child with a low percentage of intolerance observed. Nutricrema is a cost-effective intervention to supply energy, protein and micronutrients in high risk families

Palabras llave : food supplement; acceptability; consumption; malnutrition, children; pregnant woman.