Regional and social inequalities in food insecurity in Brazil, 2013-2018

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the association between social indicators and the worsening of food insecurity in 2013 and 2018 in different regions of Brazil. Data from the Brazilian National Household Sample Survey (2013) and Brazilian Household Budgets Survey (2018) were analyzed, considering nationally representative samples of 110,750 and 57,920 households, respectively. Food insecurity was assessed using the Brazilian Food Insecurity Scale by estimating the percentage changes in food insecurity levels between 2013 and 2018, according to sociodemographic variables. The association between social indicators and food insecurity disaggregated by region was estimated using multinomial logistic regression models. Although North and Northeast regions had higher proportions of food insecurity, the Southeast and Central-West regions had the highest increase in food insecurity in the same periods. Income was the indicator with the highest association with food insecurity both in 2013 and 2018. We also observed the association between the presence of three or more residents aged under 18 in a household and a higher risk of food insecurity in North and South regions. Food insecurity increased unevenly among regions during the Brazilian economic crisis, which reinforced regional inequality. Moreover, food insecurity was greater among households with worse social and economic living conditions, contributing to social inequality in the country. Thus, strengthening public policies to promote food security and nutrition according to regional social inequities is necessary.

Time living with food insecurity and socio-demographic factors: longitudinal analysis in a city in the semi-arid region of Northeast Brazil

“…FI also showed a higher prevalence among families living in rural areas in studies in the Brazilian semi-arid ( 18 ) , the central-west region ( 19 ) and the national territory ( 4 ) . The vulnerability of rural territories is recognised by the literature that cites different reasons, such as the greater concentration of poverty and the difficulty in accessing food, goods, services, transport ( 20 ) and health services ( 21 ) .…”

“…Deprivation in access to food, that is, food insecurity (FI), is associated with adverse social conditions. In the Brazilian context, the FI is more prevalent among families in the North and Northeast regions, with lower family income, higher household density and among the female sex, black/brown colour and low schooling of the household person reference (2)(3)(4) . The monitoring of the FS situation in the household is carried out internationally through the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES) and, in Brazil, the Brazilian Household Food Insecurity Measurement Scale (Escala Brasileira de Insegurança Alimentar -EBIA) is adopted, adapted to the Brazilian context and recognised by researchers and the federal government of Brazil (5,6) .…”

“…Deprivation in access to food, that is, food insecurity (FI), is associated with adverse social conditions. In the Brazilian context, the FI is more prevalent among families in the North and Northeast regions, with lower family income, higher household density and among the female sex, black/brown colour and low schooling of the household person reference ( 2 – 4 ) .…”

“…However, despite researchers discussing the relationship between socio-demographic conditions and FI in Brazil ( 3 , 4 ) , including in the semi-arid Northeast ( 6 ) , most of these studies are cross-sectional and, therefore, have limitations regarding the possibility of understanding this relationship over time in the same families.…”

“…The monitoring of the FS situation in the household is carried out internationally through the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES) and, in Brazil, the Brazilian Household Food Insecurity Measurement Scale (Escala Brasileira de Insegurança Alimentar -EBIA) is adopted, adapted to the Brazilian context and recognised by researchers and the federal government of Brazil (5,6) . Lignani and collaborators (2) , given the association of FI with the social conditions of the population, highlight the scale as a broad and consistent index of social vulnerability.However, despite researchers discussing the relationship between socio-demographic conditions and FI in Brazil (3,4) , including in the semi-arid Northeast (6) , most of these studies are cross-sectional and, therefore, have limitations regarding the possibility of understanding this relationship over time in the same families.Given the gap, a longitudinal cohort analysis was applied to answer the question of this study: When adding…”