Objective Identify and discuss strategies for execution the National School Feeding Program by state administrations during the coronavirus disease pandemic 2019. Methods This is a descriptive cross-sectional investigation. An exploratory review of the official publication of state governments and the Federal District to find out the strategies for the execution of the National School Feeding Program, after school closures due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Information on the form of execution and the public served by the action were reviewed in a descriptive manner. Results Out of the 27 federative units, 55% distributed food kits, 26% supplied food cards/vouchers and 19% provided food kits and food cards/vouchers. As to the scope, 37% maintained general service, 30% attended schoolchildren from families registered in the Brazilian cash transfer program (Bolsa Família) and 26% attended schoolchildren from families registered in the Underprivileged Families Registry. Conclusion The National School Feeding Program was weak in terms of assuring the Human Right to Adequate Food and Food and Nutrition Security. The slowness of the federal administration and the gaps in the regulations issued may explain the changes in the reported strategies, which, in their majority, violate the principle of universality.

The Quality Index for School Meal Menus (Índice de Qualidade para Cardápios da Alimentação Escolar – IQCAE) is a tool that considers the nutritional and cultural dimensions of the menu. The IQCAE validation process showed the need to update it according to current resolutions and the planetary health emergency. To review and validate the new version of the IQCAE. This methodological study used a convenience sample of 425 municipalities proportionally distributed across the regions of Brazil, with 2,125 school menus offered from Monday to Friday. The tool was reviewed in two stages: the creation of a group of expert researchers and the analysis of the theoretical framework to define the components of the reviewed index. Criterion validity, structural validity, reliability, and reproducibility were assessed for validation. The IQCAE-R has 14 components, and its criterion validity is supported by moderate agreement between the experts’ evaluation and its application to the menus. Regarding reproducibility, the mean scores of the evaluators showed no difference, showing that the tool provides the same result when applied repeatedly. Internal consistency was verified using the Spearman correlation, which ranged from weak to very strong. Finally, exploratory factor analysis was satisfactory for most items. The IQCAE-R met the validity and reliability criteria for evaluating school menus and incorporates sustainability components, current recommendations, and current PNAE guidelines.

Introdução: O ambiente alimentar que a comunidade está inserida pode influenciar, positiva ou negativamente no acesso à alimentação de qualidade e consequentemente na sua saúde. Objetivo: Identificar a presença de desertos alimentares em um distrito sanitário de uma capital brasileira. Métodos: Estudo descritivo, transversal e exploratório, utilizando dados secundários de diferentes fontes institucionais para mapear a distribuição espacial de estabelecimentos de comercialização de alimentos: restaurantes, padarias, supermercados, minimercados/mercearias, hortifrutigranjeiros, vendedores ambulantes e lanchonetes/fastfood. Os estabelecimentos foram agrupados nas categorias in natura, ultraprocessados e mistos, de acordo com a predominância do tipo de alimentos comercializados. Para a análise, a densidade de estabelecimentos in natura juntamente com os mistos por mil habitantes (usuários cadastrados nos centros de saúde) foram calculadas. Resultados: Foram investigados 111 estabelecimentos, sendo 20% que comercializavam alimentos in natura (saudáveis), 27% alimentos ultraprocessados (não saudáveis) e 53% considerados mistos. Conclusões: Foram observadas áreas que podem ser consideradas desertos alimentares, locais onde há pouca (ou ausência) de oferta de alimentos in natura, e por consequência dificultando o acesso a alimentos saudáveis.

This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the association between the consumption of healthy and unhealthy food markers among adolescents enrolled in the ninth grade of elementary school in municipal public schools and the food environment around the schools in two municipalities of different sizes, located in Southern Brazil. The data were collected between 2022 and 2023, with 449 adolescent participants. Of these, 347 were students from the municipality of Florianópolis, and 102 were students from the municipality of Governador Celso Ramos, all aged between 13 and 17 years. The establishments located around the schools were evaluated using AUDITNOVA, an instrument that investigates the environmental dimension and food dimension. The consumption of healthy eating markers (beans, vegetables, and fresh fruits) and unhealthy eating markers (ultra-processed foods, soft drinks, sweets, and fried snacks) among students was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire. Statistically significant associations were observed between the food environment around the school and the consumption of unhealthy food markers (OR = 0.63; 95% CI = 0.41–0.98 p = 0.041) but only in the large municipality. No significant associations were found in the students’ food consumption in the small municipality. A significant association between the school food environment and adolescents’ consumption of unhealthy foods was observed in Florianópolis. Healthy food consumption was low among students in the small municipality, Governador Celso Ramos.

Objective: The objective of this article was to perform a comparative analysis of the changes in the availability of commercial food establishments around the schools in a Brazilian capital city. Methods: This is a comparative analysis between two cross-sectional panels performed in 2012 and 2019 in Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil. Secondary data from different sources were used. The location data of schools and establishments were georeferenced. For the analysis of the surroundings of schools, a network buffer of 800 m was considered. The establishments were classified based on the foods they primarily sold: fresh, mixed and ultra-processed foods. The chi-square and Wilcoxon tests were applied for the analyses, considering a significance level of 95% (p < 0.05). Results: The number of food establishments around schools increased by 63%. There was a statistically significant growth in mixed (p = 0.008) and ultra-processed (p = 0.024) food- selling establishments. Conclusion: We conclude that the increase in establishments selling ultra-processed foods around schools at the expense of establishments selling fresh food deserves attention. This condition requires public policies that help promote healthier environments, thus contributing to the health of schoolchildren.

Introdução: A identificação precoce de imprecisões nas estimativas do tamanho corporal pode ser fundamental para planejar e realizar ações de prevenção e tratamento mais eficazes relacionadas à percepção e distúrbios da imagem corporal. Objetivo: Estimar a prevalência de superestimação e subestimação do tamanho corporal em escolares com magreza, peso normal e obesidade e os fatores associados. Métodos: Estudo transversal e de base escolar realizado em Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brasil. O estudo foi realizado com uma amostra de 1.530 escolares de sete a dez anos matriculados em escolas públicas e privadas de Florianópolis. Foram analisados dados sociodemográficos e antropométricos, bem como suas percepções sobre a imagem corporal. As percepções do tamanho corporal foram avaliadas utilizando-se as Escalas de Silhuetas para Crianças Brasileiras. Foi utilizada regressão logística para análise das associações. Resultados: A prevalência de magreza ou de peso normal em escolares que se consideravam com obesidade foi de 10%. Nenhum dos escolares com obesidade se consideraram magros ou com peso normal. Nos escolares magros, a imagem corporal desejada referente à obesidade manteve-se associada à percepção de considerar-se obeso (odds ratio = 2,64, p < 0,05). O sobrepeso, no sexo feminino, se manteve associado à condição de considerar-se magro (odds ratio = 3,07, p < 0,05). Conclusões: A superestimação e subestimação do tamanho corporal foram observadas entre crianças de 7 a 10 anos, particularmente do sexo feminino. Outros estudos utilizando diferentes variáveis e abordagens metodológicas são necessários para identificar, em profundidade, as causas da distorção da imagem corporal.