Cogitare Enfermagem (Mar 2018)

COMPLEMENTARY FOODS FOR INFANTS ATTENDED IN A FAMILY HEALTH CENTER IN THE NORTH EAST OF BRAZIL

  • Edcarla da Silva de Oliveira,
  • Veridianne Vasconcelos Ponte Viana,
  • Thábyta Silva Araújo,
  • Mariana Cavalcante Martins,
  • Maria Vera Lúcia Moreira Leitão Cardoso,
  • Luisa Maria Oliveira Pinto

DOI
https://doi.org/10.5380/ce.v23i1.51220
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 23, no. 1
p. e51220

Abstract

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Objectives: To identify the offering of complementary foods to children aged below two years old, and the conformity of this with the Ministry of Health’s recommendations. Method: a study undertaken with 52 children in a Primary Healthcare Center in the North East of Brazil, between December 2015 and February 2016. Interviews were held with the mothers, who were given a socioeconomic questionnaire which was also related to the children’s dietary profile. The data were analyzed using the statistical program R®. The foods consumed were classified as either “not appropriate” or “appropriate”, according to the Ministry of Health. Results: of the children older than one year, one (3.3%) was receiving complementary breastfeeding, while those younger than one year old (n=22/100%) were eating baby porridge (‘mingau’*) and 20 (90.9%) had already drunk soda. Soda, mingau, salted snacks and cookies were the foods consumed most. “Inappropriate” food was prevalent in the children younger than one year old. Conclusion: most of the food given consisted of industrialized products, and is thus a problem of food insecurity for the study population.

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