[Changes in lipid availability in Venezuela, 1970-1992]

The authors carry out a research focused on the quantification and analysis of the main changes in feeding and nutrition in Venezuela between 1970 and 1992. Such research started with the review and adjustment of the Food Balance Sheets (Hojas de Balance de Alimentos) elaborated by the Instituto Nacional de Nutrición (National Nutrition Institute) between 1970 and 1979 in order to homogenize them in a methodological way to make them similar to those elaborated by that institution and the Fundación Polar for the 1980-90 period. Estimates were made about the daily and per person availability of food for human consumption (DCH) for 1991 and 1992. This report, a partial product of that research, characterizes the evolution of the lipidic DCH in Venezuela for the 1970-1992 period. This period has been divided in seven stages of the evolution of the total energetic DCH, as this reflects well the course of the daily and per person Food Purchasing Power (PCA); there is a direct and strong functional relationship between these two variables. Along those stages the behaviour of the lipidic DCH is studied and we try to view possible relationships between the evolution of the Venezeluans economical situation and the absolute and relative variations observed in the level and the structure of the lipidic DCH. This structure is analyzed from several points of view: groups of food sources, origin, "visibility", and place of origin. One purpose is to determine also which food groups are mainly responsible for the venezuelan's external lipidic dependence. A general picture of the evolution of the DCH for saturated fatty acids and cholesterol is made, as well as of the variations experienced by the P/S and M/S relationships. It was found that the most dynamic elements, those that can explain a very high percentage of the variations observed in the level and the structure of the lipidic DCH were: the groups of foods of Visible Fats, Milk and dairy products, and Meats; vegetal lipids; vegetal-visible and animal-invisible lipidic fractions; imported lipids or lipids of food products which raw materials were imported (oily raw materials to make oils and edible solid fats, and raw materials to make food for poultry and hogs). The importance of the food groups Visible Fats, Milk and dairy products, and Meats, as sources or saturated fatty acids in the diet of the Venezuelans was made evident (89-91% of the respective total DCH), as well as the importance of the food groups Eggs, Meats, Fish and Seafood, and Milk and dairy products, as sources of cholesterol (82-89% of the available total). It was found that the lipid-originated calories account for less than 30% of the total energetic DCH; saturated fatty acids account for less than 10% of the available calories/person/day; the DCH for cholesterol did not reach the level of 300 mg/p/d; the P/S and M/S relationships remained close to 1. These last four facts are considered favorable for the health of the human being.