Estado nutricional e programa bolsa família no semiárido mineiro: um estudo longitudinal

Abstract

Introduction: The nutritional status during child growth is the measure that best defines the child's health, and further, it is an indicator of economic inequality. To improve the food and nutritional status, social programs, such as the Bolsa Família Program (BFP), have been enforced in Brazil with the objective of increasing the income of families with a low socioeconomic status. Objective: This study aimed to verify the association between enrollment in this program and the nutritional status of adolescents living in the city of Berilo who were evaluated in the preschool phase in 2004 and reassessed in 2016. Methods: The nutritional status was evaluated based on the height and body mass index according to the age. Statistical analysis was conducted using the Chi-square test of homogeneity, and the final model was analyzed using the logistic regression method. Results: There was an association between the access of the participants to the BFP and the socioeconomic condition of the household. On comparing the nutritional status of the children between 2004 and 2016, it was verified that the incidence of malnutrition decreased from 13.0% to 1.5% and that of being overweight increased from 5.1% to 17.8%; however, these changes were not associated with enrollment in the program.