Availability, accessibility, and intake of vegetables native to Mexico

Abstract

Objective: to analyze the intake of vegetables native to Mexico from 1980 to 2020, based on the food security approach. Methodology: the availability and accessibility dimensions of food security were taken into consideration for this study; in addition, descriptive statistics and regression models were used. Results: the apparent national intake of native vegetables increased during the study period, reaching 6.821 million tons in the year 2020, while the per capita intake was 148 grams in the same year. The actual income and the quarterly family expenses on vegetables, pulses, and seeds decreased from $1,890 Mexican pesos in 1980 to $1,082 Mexican pesos in 2020. Study Limitations/Implications: the food utilization and stability dimensions that encompass food safety were not included in the study. Conclusions: public food security policies must promote the production and intake of vegetables native to Mexico and increase the actual income of the most vulnerable Mexican families, facilitating accessibility to these products.