The economic crisis in Venezuela has hit families hard. According to the results of the 2017 Survey on Living Conditions in the country (Encovi), 80% of households do not eat properly and more than half of the country’s parents stop eating to feed their children.
One of the medical specialists participating in the study said that in the survey about food safety, parents were asked if they had skipped food so that other members of the household could eat and 70% answered affirmatively.
More than 60% of household representatives are not eating or are going to bed hungry to strech out food portions because there was not enough money to buy more food,”
said the expert.
The nutrition professional added that in recent visits to homes and schools, parents or household representatives reveal what they do to strech out food.
People tell us: ‘I stopped eating so that my children eat’, or ‘I have to take turns, today I eat the biggest meal, tomorrow the middle child, and the little one the day after tomorrow’,”
said the doctor.
Herrera mentioned that the diet of the vast majority of Venezuelans is a survival, monotonous and unbalanced diet and is only based on calories to satisfy appetite and survive.
The corn flour that was manufactured in Venezuela was dethroned as the first food in the intention of purchase of the Venezuelan and this product is rich in iron and vitamin A and B. This flour disappeared from the stores and getting a kilo of the product is very difficult.
He concluded by saying that the consumption of vegetables has been lost and the intake of tubers has been favored.