Food consumption and (in)food security of children enrolled in two daycares in Santos

Abstract

Food and nutritional security is defined as the right of everyone to regular and permanent access to quality food, in sufficient quantity, without compromising access to other essential needs. Objective: to evaluate food (in)security and food consumption in children enrolled in two daycare centers in Santos. This is a case study that evaluated families of children enrolled in two daycare centers in Santos in different locations, one necessarily belonging to the area of ​​social vulnerability and the other not. The collection was done through questionnaires applied to parents/guardians. Food (In)Security was measured using the Brazilian Food Insecurity Scale and food consumption was assessed using food markers from the National Food and Nutrition Surveillance System. The assessment of the difference between the study variables and the level of insecurity was through the Chi-Square test.In the vulnerable region, 78.6% of households were found to have some degree of food insecurity, while in the other region, 62.2% of families were food secure. In children over 24 months of age, it was possible to identify that the consumption of foods that indicate an unhealthy diet was more prevalent in children experiencing food insecurity. Food insecurity was more prevalent in the vulnerable region and children's food consumption was directly linked to their level of food (in)security. Therefore, investment in policies and programs to combat hunger and food insecurity is essential.