Food cultural innovation of Ecuadorian products using Design Thinking for children from the city of Guayaquil

The nutritional reality of Guayaquil student children is observed from a futuristic perspective in order to prevent 3 diseases that are causing a great impact on the economy of Guayaquil: diabetes, hypertension and colitis. The objective is to design a food research project using Design Thinking as a constructivist strategy to use agricultural products adapted to the genetic profile of the members of the Ecuadorian family. This applicable feasible type project was carried out for 2 years, during the end of 2021 and the beginning of 2023, including the pandemic. Of a descriptive, exploratory, feasible type of applied research, 203 members of the Educational Community of the Mercedes Moreno Irigoyen Tax Basic Education School of the city of Guayaquil were selected. A significant number of this population was shown to be the grandchildren of diabetics and, as it is a gene-salting disease, education was established as a means of prevention. The same is investigated about eating habits that affect blood pressure and colitis, reaching the conclusion that food culture is a significant indicator in metabolic diseases. One proposal is the consumption of a diet rich in protein with citric acid and sulfur foods that balance the harmful effect of carbohydrates on the health of grandparents, parents and grandchildren.

Keywords: colitis- diabetes- design thinking medicinal herbs- hypertension