Change in dietary intake and household food purchases of key food groups, with a focus on maize and beans

We analyzed changes in composition of food and beverage purchases, particularly maize and beans, in Mexican households with emphasis on calories, protein, and fiber, using data from the National Household Income and Expenditure Survey (ENIGH, for its acronym in Spanish) from 1992 to 2024.Historically, corn tortillas are the primary food item contributing the highest amount of calories in households, accounting for 21.9%; however, changes in the composition of purchases have been recorded over time, resulting in a 16% reduction in calorie purchases from tortillas over the last 32 years. On the other hand, beans are the groups that have experienced the greatest decline, dropping from a 6.4% contribution to 3.0%, a 53% reduction. A significant factor that may explain these shifts in purchasing composition is the increased purchase of meat and other animal-source foods (101%), as well as foods high in saturated fat and/or added sugars (58.6%). Up until the year 2000, the main source of proteins came from plant-based foods, primarily tortillas. Since 2002, the composition of household protein purchases has been predominantly from animal sources, such as meat. For fiber purchases, corn tortillas and beans alone contribute almost half of the total fiber in households (49%); corn tortillas represent the main source of fiber, contributing 38.3% of the total, while beans provide 10.7%. The high contribution of maize and beans to total energy, protein, and fiber highlights the importance of monitoring the consumption of these foods in the face of scenarios related to nutrition and climate change.'This work was supported by the Wellcome Trust [310024/Z/24/Z]. Potential climate change effects on food security, nutrition, and health of the Mexican population. Co-design integrated policy measures. January 2024 '