Food consumption of children aged six to 24 months living in Pernambuco during the SARS-COV-2 pandemic

Abstract

Objectives:  analyze the food consumption of children aged 6 to 24 months in Pernambuco before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods:  analytical study using data from the Food and Nutrition Surveillance System (SISVAN) from 2019 to 2023. Indicators of recommended and non-recommended eating habits were assessed. Differences between years were tested using analysis of variance (ANOVA), with p≤0.05 considered significant.

Results:  the number of records ranged from 9,086 children in 2020 to 42,709 in 2023, an increase of 78.7%. Among the recommended indicators, continued breastfeeding rose from 30% in 2021 to 56% in 2023 (p<0.05), and the consumption of foods rich in vitamin A increased from 38% to 66% (p<0.05). Iron intake remained low but rose from 11% in 2021 to 24% in 2023 (p<0.05). Among the non-recommended items, the consumption of ultra-processed foods declined from 49% in 2019 to 35% in 2023 (p<0.05), and the intake of sweetened beverages dropped from 30% in 2019 to 20% in 2023 (p<0.05).

Conclusion:  there was a recovery of healthy eating indicators after the decline observed in 2021, although deficiencies in iron and vitamin A intake and a high prevalence of ultra-processed foods persist. These findings highlight the need for public policies that promote appropriate eating practices and reduce nutritional inequalities.

key words
Child nutrition; Food intake; Covid-19