Update of the Quality Index for School Meals Menus and study of associated factors

• Grant number: 21/11510-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: May 01, 2022
• End date: August 31, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Collective Health - Public Health
• Principal Investigator: Semíramis Martins Álvares Domene
• Grantee: Rafaella Guimarães Moraes Camargo
• Host Institution: Instituto de Saúde e Sociedade (ISS). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus Baixada Santista. Santos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The quality of school meals in Brazil is determined by economic, social, environmental factors, and by the performance of the actors involved in the management and execution of the National School Feeding Program - PNAE. The Quality Index for School Meals Menus - IQCAE was developed and validated with the purpose of supporting the monitoring and evaluation of the Program. The planning of menus must be prepared in order to comply with the nutritional parameters and technical standards provided for in the PNAE legislation, compliance with which is essential to promote healthy eating and to contribute to Food and Nutritional Security. However, there are only three instruments available to assess school menus, and only the IQCAE is the only one that has proven to be reliable and structurally valid when used to assess and monitor the quality of menus in Brazilian school meals. OBJECTIVE: To update the Quality Index for School Meals Menus - IQCAE and to study associated factors. METHODS: This is a methodological study of quantitative character of analysis that will be carried out in five stages: (1) Update of the IQCAE; (2) Evaluation of the quality of school meals menus according to IQCAE; (3) Validation of the IQCAE; (4) Investigation of the activities carried out by the School Feeding Councils - CAE and (5) Correlation between the determinant variables of the quality of school feeding.