Biodiversity is overlooked in the diets of different social groups in Brazil

Food biodiversity is essential for improving nutrition and reducing hunger in populations worldwide. However, in middle and low-income countries, the biodiversity of food production does not necessarily represent food consumption patterns by population. We used Brazil, one of the world's megabiodiverse countries, as a case study to investigate the following questions: what is the prevalence of consumption of biodiverse foods in Brazil, and what are the socioeconomic factors that influence their consumption throughout the country? We used data from a Brazilian representative national dietary survey to estimate the frequency of food consumption of unconventional food plants, edible mushrooms, and wild meat, in according to socioeconomic variables. Thus, we investigated the socioeconomic predictors of Unconventional Food Plants consumption using methods of Machine Learning (ML) and multiple zero-inflated Poisson (ZIP) regression. We showed that biodiverse food consumption in Brazil is low, just related by 1.3% of the population, varying in according to area, ethnicity, age, food insecurity, sex, and educational level. Our findings of low utilization of biodiversity suggest an important mismatch between the rich biodiversity of the country and its representation in the human diet.

Automated summary

Food biodiversity is crucial for improving nutrition and reducing hunger, but the diversity of food consumption patterns in middle and low-income countries may not align with the biodiversity of food production. Using Brazil as a case study, this research explores the prevalence of biodiverse food consumption and the socioeconomic factors influencing it. The study reveals low levels of biodiverse food consumption in Brazil, with variations by region, ethnicity, age, food insecurity, sex, and education. The findings highlight a significant mismatch between Brazil's rich biodiversity and its representation in the human diet.