Avaliação da (in)segurança alimentar e nutricional nas famílias de crianças com TEA do município de Cuité-PB.

Abstract

This study assessed the food insecurity status among families of children with neurodevelopmental disorders receiving Specialized Educational Assistance (Atendimento Educacional Especializado – AEE) in the municipal school system of Cuité, Paraíba, Brazil. This is a descriptive, quantitative, cross-sectional field study conducted with 102 caregivers of children receiving services through the AEE program in seven municipal schools. Data were collected using a sociodemographic questionnaire and the Brazilian Food Insecurity Scale (Escala Brasileira de Insegurança Alimentar – EBIA). The results showed a predominance of female caregivers (95.1%), most of whom self-identified as mixed-race (62.7%), had completed secondary education (54.9%), and reported agricultural work (44.1%) as their main occupation. It was observed that 58.8% of the families experienced some degree of food insecurity, with mild food insecurity being the most prevalent (43.1%), followed by moderate (10.8%) and severe food insecurity (4.9%). Among the children, Autism Spectrum Disorder was the most frequent diagnosis (75.5%), followed by Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (32.4%). It is concluded that the high prevalence of food insecurity among these families highlights the persistence of significant social vulnerabilities, despite access to income transfer programs and early diagnosis of the children. These findings reinforce the need for intersectoral actions involving education, health, and social assistance to strengthen food security and expand support for families of children with neurodevelopmental disorders in the municipality of Cuité, Paraíba, Brazil.