Perfil nutricional e de segurança alimentar de beneficiários do Programa Bolsa Família de Maceió – AL

Abstract

The Universal Declaration of the Rights of Human Beings (1948), states that adequate food is a right inherent in human life. Food security is defined as ensuring continued access to sufficient quantity and quality of foods obtained through socially acceptable, to ensure the well being and health of individuals. Brazil has various socio-economic inequalities, and although there were improvements in the living conditions of the country, there are still significant numbers of nutritional deficiencies that represent priorities for creation of governmental policies. Thus the parents have invested in programs that guide the use of food to fight hunger in low-income populations. The programs of conditional cash transfer (CCT) are part of social protection policies and poverty reduction. These programs are aimed at poor families facing situations of multiple vulnerabilities, as well as food security and nutrition. In Brazil the "Fome Zero" strategy that is driven by the federal government to ensure the human right to adequate food to people with limited access to food. The “Bolsa Familia” Program has more than 13 million households nationwide according to the profile and types of benefits. Thus, to understand the logic of choice and nutritional profile of families is critical to the formulation or reorganization and public policies to improve the nutritional status of the population. Alagoas, one of the smallest states in the country, has serious socioeconomic problems in the capital Maceio, 50% of the population lives in substandard settlements in these communities, most of the population benefits from the Bolsa Família Program (BFP). Considering the influence of socioeconomic, environmental and food security level in the nutritional profile of a population, this study has a chapter review and an article. The chapter includes a review of the income transfer programs, nutritional intake and food 20 security of populations in multiple vulnerabilities. The article refers to a study performed with PBF beneficiary families, aiming to assess nutritional status, consumption and food security. The analysis of nutritional status showed that 13.4% of children had chronic malnutrition, 20% of adolescents had underweight / stunting and 51.2% of adults exhibited overweight / obesity. Food insecurity was present in 91.17% of households. Women responsible for food intake benefit obtained within the estimated average requirements. This result shows the need for adoption of integrated actions between income transfer programs and health sectors in order to ensure food education strategies in combating nutritional deficiencies.