NUTRITIONAL RISKS DURING COVID 19: AN OPPORTUNITY FOR NUTRITION SCHOOLS TO PROMOTE HEALTHY EATING AND PREVENT MALNUTRITION AND NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASES (NCD)

Introduction: As part of the undergraduate Nutrition program of Mariano Galvez University of Guatemala, the professional practice at community level is developed in the last year for a period of four months. In 2020 this was oriented towards the search for interventions for the promotion of health and prevention of malnutrition in the framework of COVID 19 pandemic, considering that the presence of malnutrition both due to excess and deficiency as well as presenting chronic non-communicable diseases and obesity increase the risks of a patient infected by SARS-CoV-2 in addition to the post-pandemic effects on nutritional food security in communities. Objectives: Identification of strategies and interventions for health promotion and prevention of malnutrition and Non Communicable Disease in the context of the COVID 19 pandemic. Methods: A review of scientific literature and health and nutrition data from Guatemala was carried out to analyze the information published about the nutritional and food situation in the framework of the COVID 19 pandemic, which included technical documents and protocols from CEPAL, INCAP, CieNut, FAO, WHO, Spanish Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and OXFAM. With the analyzed information and data, proposals were prepared and strategies designed to promote nutritional food security and healthy eating habits and hygiene and sanitation, as well as prevention of malnutrition, with emphasis on the maternal and infant group and other vulnerable groups at rural and urban areas as part of the Nutrition professional practice in Guatemala, Amatitlan and Chimaltenango during the months of March to June 2020. Results: With the analyzed information, intervention proposals and instruments were developed oriented to food and nutritional consequences after the COVID 19 pandemic, as well as education and communication materials for the promotion of healthy lifestyles and the prevention of malnutrition and NCD, including breastfeeding as one of the most important protective factors during the first 2 years of life. Among the proposals are a manual for home gardens for post-COVID 19 food production, a project for the prevention of acute respiratory infections (ARIs), a proposal for the evaluation of monetary transfers from the government during COVID emergency, a proposal for the collection of food (REKKO-lecta), response plan to mitigate Food and Nutritional Insecurity, project for post-COVID 19 consumption assessment, proposal to evaluate the use of donated food as part of a food assistance programs. Conclusions: Nutrition schools have a great opportunity to identify and support local and institutional actions for the prevention and promotion of health, nutrition and food and nutritional security (SAN) at community level for the prevention of malnutrition and NCD in the framework of the COVID 19 pandemic through the different supervised practice programs.