Power Access and Influence Socio-Economic Condition as Nutrition for School

Abstract

The present work was developed with the objective to evaluate the relationship between the socio-economic condition and the nutritional state of students ranging from seven to ten years old. We have carried out a transversal study with 60 children enrolled in a public school in the city of Ribeirão Preto. The nutritional state of the children was evaluated through weight and height measurements; the socio-economic condition of each family was classified considering the per capita income and the security situation and food insecurity was diagnosed according to the Brazilian Scale Measure of Food Insecurity. Most children were eutrophic, but there was a considerable number of individuals who were overweight. Great part of the families had low per capita income and almost half the sample had access to the benefit of the "Bolsa Família" Program. Only 25% of the families were in food security situation and the prevalence of food insecurity was higher among families with lower monthly income. The results confirm the hypothesis of the study, indicating a positive association of socioeconomic condition on the food security situation and, consequently, on the nutritional status of individuals.