Background Obesity is an increasingly prevalent chronic condition. Its multiple causes and the complexity of its treatment pose challenges for health professionals. Objective To explore and describe the challenges for obesity management in the Brazilian Unified Health System according to health professionals. Methods An exploratory quantitative web-based study, carried out in 2018 with health professionals, developed from the first stage of a national project that aims to examine the management of obesity in Brazil. The questionnaire was self-applied. Invitations to participate in the research were sent by the Ministry of Health, Health Department of Minas Gerais and members of the research group. We collected data on sex, age, professional category, region and level of care. The challenges were investigated using a Likert scale and categorized into structure and work process. Results We evaluated 1323 professionals, of which about 45% were dietitians, 90.2% were women, and 83.1% self-reported working in primary health care. The main barriers cited included a high demand for curative and individual assistance, the presence of comorbidities, and the absence or insufficient access to instructional materials, professional qualification and lack of support. Conclusion Obesity management is a critical challenge for all professionals. Barriers were related to the work process and structural aspects and reinforce the need to empower health teams. We propose that permanent education activities should be established, as well as the development of instructional materials that are applicable to routine work. Finally, the results may be used to develop policies and strategies to improve obesity management.

This study aims to describe the adequacy of basic health units (UBS) in Brazil regarding structure and work process for obesity management and to evaluate user satisfaction with primary health care services. This cross-sectional study was conducted with data from the 2013-2014 National Program for Improving Primary Care Access and Quality (PMAQ) - an initiative to assess primary health care teams’ performance. Data were collected between 2013 and 2014 through interviews with primary health care teams and users. All indicators of adequate care for obesity were defined within the article scope, based on data from the PMAQ. Of the 24,055 UBS analyzed, located in 4,845 different cities, only 7.6% had adequate structure for obesity management. Likewise, only 26.6% of the 114,615 users interviewed reported adequate access, and 27.8% of the UBS showed adequate service organization. Healthcare was considered as “good” or “very good” by 82.4% of users. These indicators varied according to geographic region, showing better results for the South and Southeast. Our results suggest that the country may still be at the initial stage of systematizing care with obesity, presenting significant disparities among regions.

ObjectiveTo compare perception and intake of fruit and vegetables, and to identify the factors associated with misperception of intake. MethodsCross-sectional study with 3,414 participants of the Health Academy Program from Belo Horizonte (MG), Brazil. Stages of change from Transtheoretical Model were used to evaluate perception of intake, and questions adapted from national surveys were used to assess intake of fruit and vegetables as separate groups. Individuals whose intake and perception were discordant were reclassifi ed in pseudo-maintenance (wrongly believe their intake is adequate) or non-refl ective action (wrongly believe their intake is inadequate). ResultsInsuffi cient intake of fruit and vegetables and misperception of intake were observed. Pseudo-maintenance was more prevalent, given that 45.1% of individuals were reclassifi ed in this stage regarding their vegetable intake and 22.9% regarding fruit. According to multinomial logistic regression, pseudo-maintenance of fruit intake CC BY

We analyzed the impact of the efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic on the prices of food sold by a food supply center located in the sixth largest city in Brazil. We examined the percentage change in the prices of 20 types of foods, adjusted by market conditions, using municipal contingency plan stages to compare opening and closing of non-essential services, including bars and restaurants (stage 1: first phase of essential services-only; stage 2: flexibilization; and stage 3: second phase of essential services-only with a “pre-pandemic” period [stage 0]). Log-prices were lower in all contingency stages for leafy greens (variation: 42% to 56%) and vegetables (variation: 28% to 40%). Log-prices of eggs and fruit were 20% and 16% lower during stages 1 and 3, respectively. Strategies to combat the COVID-19 pandemic lowered the prices of eggs, fruit, leafy greens, and vegetables regardless of the market conditions. Accordingly, the supply and demand for fresh and minimally processed foods were affected by the economic crisis and difficulties to access and/or buy perishable foods more often. The impacts of efforts to defeat the pandemic must ensure the human right to adequate food, considering that low prices do not necessarily indicate food security.

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Resumo Objetivou-se analisar espacialmente a distribuição de estabelecimentos de aquisição de alimentos para consumo imediato no entorno do Programa Academia da Saúde (PAS) de Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brasil, segundo Índice de Desenvolvimento Humano Municipal (IDHM). Estudo ecológico tendo o PAS como unidade de análise. Foram avaliados estabelecimentos de aquisição de alimentos para consumo imediato contidos em buffer circular com raio de 900 metros a partir das 77 unidades do PAS em funcionamento. Endereços e tipos de estabelecimento foram obtidos em lista pública e verificados em auditoria virtual. Mapas de Kernel temático foram elaborados. Identificou-se 3.050 estabelecimentos no entorno das unidades do PAS. Maiores densidades foram observadas na região Centro-sul da cidade e em áreas com IDHM alto e muito alto. Foi elevada a densidade de estabelecimentos comerciais de venda de alimentos para consumo imediato no entorno das unidades do PAS, sobretudo em áreas mais ricas. Os resultados podem subsidiar ações que visem fortalecer o PAS como promotor de ambientes alimentares saudáveis. Ademais, reforça a necessidade de políticas públicas equânimes de abastecimento e regulação visando promover o acesso à alimentação adequada e saudável para todos.

This study aims to measure healthy lifestyles according to the time of participation in the Programa Academia da Saúde (PAS). We used baseline data from a randomized controlled community trial with a representative sample of PAS users from Belo Horizonte, Brazil (n = 3,414). The data on healthy lifestyles collected were: daily fruit and vegetables intake (≥5 servings); physical activity engagement (≥180min/week); body mass index (18.5kg/m² ≥ BMI ≤ 24.9kg/m²), smoking and drinking habits. The time of participation in the PAS was calculated by the difference between the date of registration in the program and the date of the data collection. Logistic regression models were used to evaluate associations between healthy lifestyles and time of participation in the PAS. Almost half of the participants (43.3%) had three healthy lifestyle factors. The prevalence of having all five factors varied according to the time of participation in the service; the lowest rates were in the first quartile (4.9%) and the highest rates in the fourth quartile (8.1%). Those who have attended the service for the longest time (fourth quartile) were more likely to have a healthy BMI (OR = 1.43; 95%CI: 1.14-1.80; p = 0.002) and to avoid smoking (OR = 1.62; 95%CI: 1.06-4.49; p = 0.01), compared to those who have attended the program for less time (first quartile). The prevalence of healthy lifestyles in PAS users was low. However, a longer permanence in the program seems to favor positive changes on BMI and on smoking habits.