From Tradition to Westernization: Aspects Related to Food Sovereignty and the Health of the Krenak Indigenous Population, 2016–2017

Abstract

The indigenous Krenak population, known as Botocudos of the East, is located in the region of the Rio Doce (Minas Gerais), which was affected by the contamination resulting from the collapse of the Samarco dam, which may have contributed to the acculturation process of this population. The purpose of this study is to describe the basic rights of these people related to food sovereignty and food security, evaluating the aspects of food consumption and the most prevalent diseases.  This is a cross-sectional study conducted between 2016 and 2017, with indigenous Krenak. Data collected includes: sociodemographic, lifestyle, eating habits, anthropometric , and blood pressure and blood sugar levels. Descriptive analysis and Pearson's chi-square tests were conducted. The studied population reported an inadequate consumption of fruits, natural juices, cooked vegetables and legumes. In addition, most of them reported a higher consumption of soft drinks, consumption of meat with excess fat, and the addition of salt in ready-to-eat meals. These datas, when contextualized from a colonial assumption, demonstrate a process of acculturation of this indigenous population and a westernization of their diet, composed of a misrepresentation of the consumption of ancestral foods, causing a reality of deterritorialization.