[Reflections on the activities of nutritionists on the Brazilian School Nutrition Program].

The scope of this study is to reflect on the activities of nutritionists in the Brazilian School Nutrition Program, with emphasis on the number of professionals and the attributes, advances and challenges facing these professionals. A critical analysis was conducted based on a review of the literature and official data provided by the National Fund for the Development of Education (NFED) of the Brazilian Ministry of Education. Between the years 2003 to 2011, the percentage of Brazilian municipalities with nutritionists rose from 12% to 79%. The northern region had the lowest percentage of local municipalities covered by nutritionists registered with the NFED (59%) in 2011 and the southern region had the highest percentage (85%), while the national average was 79%. The findings reflect a certain inequality in the distribution of nutritionists among the different regions of Brazil. The diverse activities of these professionals in the Program suggest the need for ongoing updating and training. It is also necessary to comply with and monitor the numerical parameters of reference for hiring nutritionists in the different municipalities and states of the country.