Assessment of the nutricional environment of gardens located in Basic Health Units' perimeters in Embu das Artes county, SP

• Grant number: 13/05627-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date until: June 01, 2013
• End date until: December 31, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Nutrition
• Principal Investigator: Cláudia Maria Bógus
• Grantee: Jessica Vaz Franco
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Saúde Pública (FSP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

As a public health issue, it is necessary to understand why fruit and vegetables are of low consumption by Brazilian people, considering the food supply that introduces the way that food is produced and distributed. The limited access to the better nutritional quality of products can be a causal factor of obesity and chronic disease. Aim: To assess the nutritional environment of gardens located in Basic Health Units' perimeters. Methods: This study will be conducted in Embu das Artes county, SP. We will assess the access to food sold for home consumption. It includes these indicators: healthy food' availability, variety, quality, and price (fruit and vegetables) and nonhealthy food' availability, variety, and price (sweet crackers, corn snacks, soda, industrialized juices, and powder juice). We will assess every store located within 1,5 km sq from Basic Health Units where there are gardens. Analysis: We will conduct a descriptive analysis of the stores according to the frequency in regions, types of food sold and food' quality and price. We will elaborate thematic maps of the points collected by GPS's special distribution and Kernel density maps to evaluate the stores' agglomeration in the gardens' perimeters. We will use Terraview 3.1.4 and ArcMap 10.1 software. (AU)