OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate sociodemographic and economic differences among Brazilian older adults according to region. METHODS: This cross-sectional, descriptive-analytical study was conducted with individuals ≥ 60 years of age based on a secondary analysis of public data from a nationally representative survey called the Family Budget Survey. The data were separated according to the 5 regions of the country and were associated with sociodemographic and economic characteristics. Analyses were performed of categorical and numerical variables and their associations using multinomial logistic regression. RESULTS: Among all participants in the Family Budget Survey, 26 199 (15%) were older adults. It was found that the southeast and south had better living conditions and higher proportions of older adults. Regarding race, the southern region had the highest proportion of self-declared Whites, the southeastern region had the highest mean education level, and the northern and northeastern regions had the lowest levels of education and household income. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that the aging process is heterogeneous due to marked regional inequalities, which are related to social issues. Regional differences can be determinant in socioeconomic and demographic inequalities among the older population.

Brazil is characterized by strong social inequalities and differences in access to quality food and sufficient quantities of it, which represent a violation of the human right to adequate food. The aim was to assess food expenditures according to the social profiles of the head of the households. Data from the cross-sectional Brazilian Household Budget Survey (2017/2018) were used with a nationally representative sample of household survey participants (n=52,917). Poisson regression was used to estimate prevalence ratios (PR) to assess the association of different social profiles with the acquisition of food. The profile characterized by woman self-classified as white, with a higher education, which characteristics were positively and significantly associated with more acquisition of fruits (PR=1.22; CI95% 1.09-1.36) and vegetables and greens (PR=1.24; CI95% 1.09-1.41). Black women with low education levels showed a negative association with the consumption of soda (PR=0.53; CI95% 0.45-0.62), and prepared food (PR=0.52; CI95% 0.37-0.74). The results reveal great inequalities in the purchase of food between the social profiles of the heads of the family.

O uso da categoria de cor/raça em inquéritos populacionais auxilia na compreensão das desigualdades étnico-raciais existentes na sociedade brasileira. Entretanto, em estudos voltados à alimentação e nutrição evidencia-se uma lacuna de informações. O objetivo foi realizar uma revisão bibliográfica da literatura sobre a inserção da categoria cor/raça em estudos baseados nos inquéritos epidemiológicos relacionados à alimentação e nutrição. Realizou-se uma busca manual de inquéritos populacionais que utilizaram a categoria cor/raça e temática de alimentação e nutrição, resultando em 47 publicações. Posteriormente, buscaram-se artigos científicos na base de dados do Banco Virtual de Saúde através de descritores em Ciência da Saúde (DeCs/MeSH). Foram incluídos artigos científicos que abordavam o objetivo da pesquisa, em português, com o texto na íntegra e não foi delimitada a data de publicação, e resultando em 24 artigos elegíveis. A cor/raça foi inserida a partir das categorias branca, preta, parda, indígena, amarela e sem declaração. Ao analisar-se os artigos evidenciou-se o agrupamento de pretos e pardos, ou em brancos e não-brancos. A partir de 2003, evidenciaram-se estudos sobre alimentação e nutrição e a cor/raça. As principais temáticas desenvolvidas foram em relação à insegurança alimentar, uso de fórmula infantil, aleitamento materno, estado nutricional e consumo alimentar. Evidenciaram-se limitações para a discussão da temática, e ainda, a análise das condições de alimentação e nutrição de grupos socialmente raciais vulneráveis só é possível por meio das investigações populacionais que incluem a categoria cor/raça.

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Background The presence of food insecurity in households headed by older people is related to social inequalities. The objective of this study was to analyze the prevalence and factors associated with moderate/severe food insecurity in households headed by older people. Methods A cross-sectional study based on a nationally representative sample of older adults aged ≥ 60 years was conducted using data from the 2017/2018 Family Budget Survey. In the study, moderate/severe food insecurity was the dependent variable, with food insecurity assessed with the Brazilian Household Food Insecurity Measurement Scale. Prevalence and odds ratio estimates were generated with 99% confidence intervals. Data analysis was performed using STATA software. Findings A total of 16,314 households headed by older people were identified. Approximately 10.1% of these households were in the moderate/severe range for food insecurity. The majority are female (11.9%)and self-declared indigenous people (25.5%), with a lack of schooling (18.3%) and a per capita income of up to half of one minimum wage (29.6%). The analysis model found that color/race, region, schooling, per capita household income, and social benefits received in the household were statistically significant factors (p value < 0.01). Conclusion Moderate/severe food insecurity in households headed by older people is associated with the pronounced social inequalities present in Brazil, and these findings intensify the need for additional study of the challenges faced by this age group.