Social context and moderate-severe food and nutritional insecurity in families with children aged 0-59 months, Paraíba, Brazil, 2017-2018

TL;DR

This study found that 27% of families with young children in Brazil faced moderate to severe food and nutritional insecurity, linked to factors like low income and lack of social support.

Contribution

The study identifies key social factors associated with food insecurity in families with young children in Brazil.

Findings

27.2% of families had moderate-severe food and nutritional insecurity.

Families with children under 24 months and without social support were more likely to face food insecurity.

Beneficiaries of the Bolsa Família Program and less affluent families were at higher risk.

Abstract

To analyze the association between the social context (demographic, socioeconomic and social support factors) and moderate-severe food and nutritional insecurity in families with children aged 0-59 months enrolled in municipal kindergartens in the state of Paraíba, Brazil.

We conducted a cross-sectional study in Brazilian municipalities prioritized for the prevention of childhood obesity. A questionnaire was used to collect information on the social context of the family (demographic profile of the child, socioeconomic situation and social support) as well as the Brazilian food insecurity scale. The association between the independent variables and moderate-severe food and nutrition insecurity was determined by applying Poisson regression to estimate crude and adjusted prevalence ratios and their respective 95% confidence intervals.

We included 382 families; 27.2% had moderate-severe food and nutrition insecurity. In addition, dysfunctional families with children under 24 months, from less affluent classes, beneficiaries of the Bolsa Família Program and without social support (material, emotional/informational and interaction) were more likely to present the outcome.

Our results show that 27.2% of the families had moderate-severe food and nutritional insecurity, were beneficiaries of the Bolsa Família Program, dysfunctional and did not have social support. Therefore, the identification of these factors would be useful to improve family food and nutritional security.

Analizar la asociación entre el contexto social (factores demográficos, socioeconómicos y soporte social) y la inseguridad alimentaria y nutricional moderada-grave de familias con niños de 0 a 59 meses matriculados en jardines infantiles municipales del estado de Paraíba, Brasil.

Estudio transversal desarrollado en municipios brasileños prioritarios para la prevención de la obesidad infantil. Se utilizó un cuestionario que recogió información sobre el contexto social de la familia (perfil demográfico del niño, situación socioeconómica y soporte social) y la escala brasileña de inseguridad alimentaria. La asociación entre las variables independientes y la inseguridad alimentaria y nutricional moderada-grave se determinó a través de una regresión de Poisson para estimar razones de prevalencia crudas y ajustadas, y sus respectivos intervalos de confianza al 95%.

De un total de 382 familias, el 27,2% presentaba inseguridad alimentaria y nutricional moderada-grave. Además, se encontró que aquellas familias con niños menores de 24 meses, de clases menos prósperas, beneficiadas del Programa Bolsa Família, sin apoyo social (material, emocional/informacional y de interacción) y disfuncionales tenían una mayor probabilidad de presentar el desenlace de estudio.

Los resultados del presente estudio indicaron que el 27,2% de las familias tenía inseguridad alimentaria y nutricional moderada-grave, siendo mayores en núcleos beneficiarios del Programa Bolsa Família, disfuncionales y sin apoyo social. En este sentido, la identificación de estos factores sería de utilidad para optimizar la seguridad alimentaria y nutricional familiar.