Avaliação do consumo alimentar de escolares da rede pública de ensino do município de Jaçanã-RN.

Abstract

Maintaining a healthy diet is a primary human right, especially in childhood, in order to foster healthy growth and development. In this sense, during school age, proper nutrition is necessary to build good habits and therefore provide all the necessary nutrients. Therefore, the present study aims to analyze the food consumption of students from public schools in a small municipality in the interior of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. This is an observational, cross-sectional and descriptive research with a quantitative approach, characterized by obtaining information regarding the school population. The study was developed in accordance with the Resolution of the National Health Council. The sample consisted of 61 children of both genders. Food intake data were collected using an assessment tool, the food diary, for three non-consecutive days, including a weekend day. The information obtained was analyzed quantitatively, taking into consideration energy consumption, macronutrients (proteins, carbohydrates and lipids), and micronutrients (vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, magnesium, zinc and calcium). Based on the data obtained, it was observed that despite the amount of meals taken were within the recommended, there were indices of inadequacy in relation to the consumption of micro and macronutrients in the diet of the students. Thus, we can conclude that the quality of the diet consumed by the students is of low nutritional quality, presenting considerable nutritional deficiencies.