Food and nutritional security of families assisted by the Bolsa Família cash transfer program in primary health care

Abstract

The Bolsa Família cash transfer program advocates access to health and monitoring the nutritional status of the families attended. Considering this, this study sought to estimate the nutritional status of children under five years and the Food Security level of families assisted by the cash transfer program, Bolsa Família (PBF), in three Family Health Units (FHU) in Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil and its association with socioeconomic variables. A cross-sectional study was carried out in 2012 with 101 families registered in the PBF with children under five years from three FHUs. Data collection was taken by a socioeconomic questionnaire, anthropometric assessment and application of the Brazilian Food Insecurity Scale (EBIA). Were performed descriptive analyses and chi-square tests. Food insecurity frequency was 89.1%; 4.5% and 9.1% of children had short stature and overweight/obesity, respectively. The food insecurity was associated with low maternal education. A high frequency of food insecurity was found; thus, this study has contributed to stimulating food and nutrition surveillance of this population in the FHUs studied.Abstract COLLABORATORS: MRO Pedroso and PM Pacheco developed the text of all parts of the article; PM Pacheco, SC Gonçalves and MRO Pedroso carried out the concept, the design, the collection and the analysis and interpretation of the data; MRM Cuervo reviewed and assisted in the preparation of the text; and E Rossoni guided, reviewed and assisted in the drafting of the text.

Insegurança Alimentar e Nutricional de beneficiários do Programa Bolsa Família

“…Outros estudos realizados com beneficiários do PBF, em diferentes municípios brasileiros, também relataram elevadas prevalências de IAN, porém, inferiores a este estudo, que variam de 72,8% a 89,1% 27,28,29 . Por outro lado, na região sudeste, foram observados re-sultados superiores em Araraquara/SP (95%) e Montes Claros/MG (100%) 30,31 .…”

“…No que se refere aos níveis moderado/grave (53,3%) a prevalência encontrada na atual pesquisa é superior à mais recente verificada no país (30,7%) 23 , semelhante a registrada na pesquisa "Repercussões do PBF na Segurança Alimentar e Nutricional das Famílias Beneficiadas" (54,8%) 14 e próxima de resultado evidenciado em estudo conduzido com famílias beneficiárias do PBF atendidas em três unidades Saúde da Família (41,6%) 29 .…”