Postgraduate Program in Health and Nutrition, School of Nutrition, Federal University of Ouro Preto, Rua Dois, Campus Morro Do Cruzeiro, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, 35.400-000, Brazil.
Research and Study Group On Nutrition and Public Health (GPENSC), Federal University of Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Brazil.
BMC Public Health. 2024 Nov 1;24(1):3032. doi: 10.1186/s12889-024-20523-8.
Changes to the food environment during the Covid-19 pandemic significantly influenced food acquisition and consumption, contributing to a higher prevalence of food insecurity. We assessed the perception of the food environment and its association with food insecurity in households of Brazilian schoolchildren during the Covid-19 pandemic.
We conducted a cross-sectional telephone survey between March and May 2021 with adults (n = 475) responsible for purchasing and/or preparing food at the students' homes aged between 6 months and 17 years enrolled in public school from two Brazilian municipalities. We assessed outcomes using the Brazilian Food Insecurity Scale (EBIA). We measured perceptions of the food environment by evaluating the perceived availability, price, and quality of fruits and vegetables (FV) and ultra-processed foods (UPF) sold in the neighbourhood.
The results indicate that 55.1% of respondents experienced mild food insecurity, and 14.5% experienced moderate or severe food insecurity. The perception of the ease of purchase (8.5% vs. 64.2%) and variety (78.9% vs. 57.9%) of UPF was higher at all levels of food security and insecurity compared to the same questions on FV. The level of food insecurity was associated with the perceived price of FV (p < 0.05). A negative perception of the quality (OR:1.92; CI:1.04-3.56) and the price of FV (OR:3.56; CI:1.41-8.98) were associated with moderate/severe food insecurity.
The affordability of FV is important for food-insecure households. Social protection policies for vulnerable families are crucial interventions that can strengthen and promote healthier food environments with greater availability of fresh foods such as fruits and vegetables.
在新冠疫情期间，食品环境的变化显著影响了食物的获取和消费，导致食物不安全的发生率更高。我们评估了新冠疫情期间巴西学童家庭对食品环境的感知及其与食物不安全之间的关系。
我们于 2021 年 3 月至 5 月期间进行了一项横断面电话调查，调查对象为负责购买和/或为就读于两所巴西城市公立学校的 6 个月至 17 岁学生家庭准备食物的成年人（n=475）。我们使用巴西食物不安全量表（EBIA）评估结局。我们通过评估社区中销售的水果和蔬菜（FV）和超加工食品（UPF）的感知可得性、价格和质量来衡量对食品环境的感知。
结果表明，55.1%的受访者经历了轻度食物不安全，14.5%经历了中度或重度食物不安全。与 FV 相比，在所有食物安全和不安全水平下，受访者对 UPF 购买的便利性（8.5%比 64.2%）和种类（78.9%比 57.9%）的感知更高。食物不安全程度与 FV 的感知价格相关（p<0.05）。对 FV 质量（OR：1.92；95%CI：1.04-3.56）和价格（OR：3.56；95%CI：1.41-8.98）的负面感知与中度/重度食物不安全相关。
FV 的可负担性对食物不安全家庭很重要。为弱势家庭提供社会保护政策是至关重要的干预措施，可以通过增加新鲜食品（如水果和蔬菜）的供应来加强和促进更健康的食品环境。
