[Socio-demographic and food insecurity characteristics of soup-kitchen users in Brazil]. / Perfil e situação de insegurança alimentar dos usuários dos Restaurantes Populares no Brasil.

This study aimed to characterize users of a government soup-kitchen program and the association with family food insecurity, using a cross-sectional design and random sample of 1,637 soup-kitchen users. The study used a questionnaire with socioeconomic variables and the Brazilian Food Insecurity Scale, and measured weight and height. The chi-square test was applied, and the crude and adjusted prevalence ratios (PR) were calculated using Poisson regression. Prevalent characteristics included per capita income ranging from one-half to one minimum wage (35.1%), complete middle school (39.8%), and food security (59.4%). Users in the North of Brazil showed the worst data: incomplete primary school (39.8%), per capita income up to one-half the minimum wage (50.8%), and food insecurity (55.5%). Prevalence ratios for food insecurity were higher among users with per capita income up to one-fourth the minimum wage (p < 0.05). Income was the only variable that remained associated with higher prevalence of food insecurity in the adjusted PR. Knowing the characteristics of soup-kitchen users with food insecurity can help orient the program's work, location, and operations.

Perfil e situação de insegurança alimentar dos usuários dos Restaurantes Populares no Brasil / Socio-demographic and food insecurity characteristics of soup-kitchen users in Brazil / Perfil y situación de seguridad alimentaria en usuarios de restaurantes populares en Brasil

O objetivo foi identificar o perfil dos usuários do programa Restaurantes Populares e suas associações com a situação de insegurança alimentar domiciliar. Trata-se de estudo transversal com amostra aleatória de 1.637 usuários. Foi utilizado um questionário com variáveis socioeconômicas, a Escala Brasileira de Insegurança Alimentar e aferidos peso e altura. Foram aplicados o teste de qui- quadrado, cálculo das razões de prevalência (RP) bruta e ajustada, utilizando-se o modelo de regressão de Poisson. Foram prevalentes a faixa de renda per capita entre ½ e 1 salário mínimo (35,1%), o Ensino Médio completo (39,8%) e a segurança alimentar (59,4%). Os usuários da Região Norte apresentaram os piores dados: Ensino Fundamental incompleto (39,8%), faixa de renda per capita de até ½ salário mínimo (50,8%) e insegurança alimentar (55,5%). Houve maior RP de insegurança alimentar entre os usuários que apresentaram renda per capita de até » do salário mínimo (p < 0,05). Apenas renda manteve-se associada à maior prevalência de insegurança alimentar na RP ajustada. As características dos usuários em insegurança alimentar podem orientar a melhoria desta ação, os critérios de localização e funcionamento do Programa Restaurantes Populares.

This study aimed to characterize users of a government soup-kitchen program and the association with family food insecurity, using a cross-sectional design and random sample of 1,637 soup-kitchen users. The study used a questionnaire with socioeconomic variables and the Brazilian Food Insecurity Scale, and measured weight and height. The chi-square test was applied, and the crude and adjusted prevalence ratios (PR) were calculated using Poisson regression. Prevalent characteristics included per capita income ranging from one-half to one minimum wage (35.1%), complete middle school (39.8%), and food security (59.4%). Users in the North of Brazil showed the worst data: incomplete primary school (39.8%), per capita income up to one-half the minimum wage (50.8%), and food insecurity (55.5%). Prevalence ratios for food insecurity were higher among users with per capita income up to one-fourth the minimum wage (p < 0.05). Income was the only variable that remained associated with higher prevalence of food insecurity in the adjusted PR. Knowing the characteristics of soup-kitchen users with food insecurity can help orient the program’s work, location, and operations.

El objetivo fue identificar el perfil de los usuarios del programa Restaurantes Populares y su vinculación con la situación de inseguridad alimentaria en el hogar. Se trata de un estudio transversal con un muestreo aleatorio de 1.637 usuarios. Se utilizó un cuestionario con variables socioeconómicas, la Escala Brasileña de Inseguridad Alimentaria y se midieron peso y altura. Se aplicó el chi-cuadrado, la razón de prevalencia (RP) bruta y ajustada, con el modelo de regresión de Poisson. Fueron prevalentes la banda de ingresos per cápita entre ½ y 1 salario mínimo (35,1%), educación secundaria completada (39,8%) y seguridad alimentaria (59,4%). Los usuarios de la Región Norte presentaron los peores datos: educación primaria incompleta (39,8%), banda de ingresos per cápita de hasta ½ salario mínimo (50,8%) e inseguridad alimentaria (55,5%). Hubo una mayor RP de inseguridad alimentaria entre los usuarios que presentaron ingresos per cápita de hasta » del salario mínimo (p < 0,05). Sólo el ingreso se mantuvo vinculado a la mayor prevalencia de inseguridad alimentaria en la RP ajustada. Las características de los usuarios con inseguridad alimentaria pueden orientar en la mejoría acciones, respecto a los criterios de ubicación y funcionamiento del programa restaurantes populares.

[Assessment of lunch served in the Workers' Food Program, Brazil]. / Avaliação do almoço servido a participantes do programa de alimentação do trabalhador.

OBJECTIVE: In the light of the Workers' Food Program (WFP) growth and its recent review of nutritional parameters regulations, the study aimed at evaluating food intake in WFP through dietary assessment of lunch served in the program and workers' nutritional status. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out in a representative sample of workers in Brasilia, Federal District, Brazil. A total of 1,044 subjects who had lunch at 52 food and nutrition units were evaluated. Social-economic and demographic data were collected as well as anthropometric measures for calculating the Body Mass Index. Food intake was assessed by dish weight and direct observation of dish composition. RESULTS: Of all subjects, 43% had excess weight, 33.7% were overweight and 9.3% were obese. Males were most affected. Median lunch energy intake was 515 kcal in women and 736 kcal in men. Median dietary fiber intake was 6.0 g among women and 8.3 g among men, and median cholesterol intake was over 90 mg among subjects with excess weight. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that the study population who is often seen as healthy is at nutritional risk. Workers in WFP should be targeted for health promotion strategies using especially nutritionists' skills as educators.