The Impact of Economic Change on Food Habits and Nutritional Health in Monteverde, Costa Rica: Mixing Agriculture and Tourism

University Of South Florida, Tampa FL

Investigators

Abstract

Dr. David A. Himmelgreen, Dr. Nancy Romero Daza, and Ms. Noemi Danao, along with graduate students from the University of South Florida and staff from the Monteverde Institute, will undertake research on the impact that the ongoing transition from farming to tourism is having on the food habits and nutritional health of rural Costa Rican households. As part of the new global economy, tourism provides for new economic opportunities and the development of infrastructure and services. Yet with a de-emphasis on local food production, there is an increased reliance on imported foods which are more expensive and include processed energy-dense foods that are high in fat and refined sugar. The primary research question is whether food consumption and nutritional health vary depending on the degree to which rural households rely on tourism for income. The research will take place in two communities in the Monteverde region, where dairy farming and coffee farming are being replaced by eco-tourism. Two hundred households will be included. A quantitative and qualitative study will be conducted to examine the ways in which households combine economic strategies and the impact that such activities have on dietary behaviors and nutritional health. Additionally, a market assessment and interviews with food suppliers will be done to examine the seasonal availability and cost of fresh produce and staple foods such as rice, beans, and dairy products). Researchers will employ surveys, focus groups, in-depth interviews, measures of food security, food frequency questionnaires, and physiological measures of nutritional health using anthropometry and bioelectrical impedance analysis. This study contributes an anthropological perspective in which the bio-cultural dimensions of health are examined. Using mixed methods, it will identify the biological consequences that globalization has on rural populations. The research will contribute understanding how social and cultural processes shape food-related behaviors. The research also will provide training opportunities for graduate students.