[Variability of home dietary habits of families living in Bamako (Mali) according to their socioeconomic status].

We investigated the influence of standard of living on the dietary and eating habits of families in Bamako (Mali). Family meals eaten at home at any time of day were studied. Families were selected for the study according to two criteria: the place of residence and the domestic commodities and urban investments. Thus, 24 families were included from affluent and 24 from moderately affluent neighborhoods, and 26 families from poor neighborhoods. All families ate three meals a day, each including staples and sauce. However, the dishes selected for the different meals and their ingredients varied considerably with the family's status. Cereals were the main component of breakfast, but the type varied from one category of family to another. All poor families and 79% of the intermediate group and only 54% of the affluent group ate millet/sorghum. Seventy-five % of the affluent, 13% of the intermediate and none of the poor families drank coffee at breakfast. Fifty % of the affluent, 29% of the intermediate and 19% of the poor families ate rice with nadji sauce at lunch. The quality of the nadji sauce varied with economic status. Tigadeguena sauce was eaten with rice in 17% of the affluent families, 50% of the intermediate group and 12% of the poor families. Very little millet/sorghum was eaten by the affluent at lunch, whereas it was included in lunch by over half the poor and one fifth of the intermediate families. The diversity of dishes was larger at supper, but only in the affluent families which had 2 to 4 different dishes or produce. They included garden vegetable salads and stews, with or without bread. Dinner for the intermediate and poor families was similar to lunch, that is a cereal base and a sauce. Home eating habits also differed according to status. In the affluent families breakfast was eaten alone, whereas in the poor families it was a communal meal. The intermediate group displayed both patterns. Affluent families tried to alternate and diversify their food intake from one meal to another, whereas the diet of the poor was monotonous. Most intermediate families tried to alternate a small range of staples (rice and traditional cereals) although this necessitated reducing the quality of the sauce. Our study shows that eating habits are affected by both cultural factors and standard of living.