(P28-034-23) WAWAS SALUDABLES: Nutritional Education Tool for Children With Micronutrient Deficiency From Rural Amazonian Communities in Ecuador

Objectives: To design a didactic nutritional-educational tool using digital platforms to prevent micronutrient deficiencies in infants of rural communities in the Ecuadorian Amazon.

Methods: Retrospective study of Kichwa communities from Ecuador. We analysed biochemical values and food frequency data of children under two years of age belonging to 3 urban-rural areas of Tena in Ecuador. The digital tool "Wawas Saludables" was designed, and it combined visual material with audio episodes via Instagram and Spotify, respectively. Relevant themes and sub-themes were selected to prepare scripts to implement nutritional education information capsules. The infographic material was published on Instagram and podcasts on Spotify to divulge dietary recommendations for the population. In addition, a validation process of the digital tool was carried out through an online form.

Results: The biochemical values analysis showed that 60% of the Amazonian children presented iron deficiency and 30% vitamin D deficiency. Furthermore, the food frequency reflected that the foods most consumed in the Kichwa communities contained fewer micronutrients and vice versa.  The tool validation showed 90% of the novelty of the tool's use; 80% determined the information was complete and adequate according to the needs, and 100% of the population agreed with the tool's usefulness. In addition, the acceptance was 100%, indicating the device was clear and specific.

Conclusions: There was an iron deficiency in children of the urban and rural zone of the Kichwa communities. In addition, there was a high risk of Vitamin D deficiency in children in the rural location of the Kichwa community, and the level of deficit is equal to the level of sufficiency of this area.

The validation process of the nutritional tool Wawa Saludables allowed us to determine the interest in the content and understanding of the traditional food, iron deficiency and vitamin D deficiency. The tool construction was useful for nutritional education about the prevention and improvement of micronutrient deficiency in infants of the Amazonian Kichwa community of Ecuador.

Funding Sources: VLIR-UOS EC2019SI246A102, FCV-01-2019