A census was carried out in which 3,000 families who met the inclusion criteria of the study were identified. Of these, 2,100 families with adolescent females were randomly selected. It is an effectiveness study on the use and consumption of an improved bean variety with high iron content in a population of adolescents from the eastern region of Guatemala. In the preparatory phase of the study, a census was carried out to identify the municipalities, communities that met the study selection criteria:
a) Rural population with extensive experience and capacity to produce beans - that is, with access to land for bean production
b) Regular consumption of high beans;
c) High prevalence (%) of chronic malnutrition (“short stature”) and anemia in children under 5 years of age;
d) Municipalities with vulnerable populations according to indices of food and nutritional insecurity;
e) Relatively low presence of other interruptions (social programs) with a demonstrated or demonstrable effect on the prevalence of anemia and/or chronic malnutrition.
From the total of preselected communities, a subsample of 120 communities was taken and in these 2100 families with adolescent women between 10 and 18 years of age were selected. This population was selected because, according to statistics, the group of women of childbearing age (including adolescents) is a population with high vulnerability to iron deficiency (14.5%, Maternal and Child Health Survey 2014-15).
Data collection was performed through home visits. The selected families were notified by local leaders of the arrival of the study staff. To identify the families selected in the communities, the study staff had a list with a contact and address, with which they visited each of the families on the list until the sample was completed. The main informant was the adolescent in the presence of her mother or head of the household.
