(In)segurança alimentar e nutricional nos estudantes do curso de Nutrição em uma universidade pública de Minas Gerais

Abstract

Introduction: Hunger is a current problem that needs to be solved, even with all technological and scientific advances. As one of the manifestations of food insecurity, hunger is a complex structural problem, a result of the capitalist mode of production, a phenomenon that is a flagrant violation of the human right to adequate food. It is also known that university students are a vulnerable population to food insecurity, which affects student retention. Objective: To analyze the food and nutritional (in)security situation of nutrition undergraduates at a public university in the interior of Minas Gerais. Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study with a quantitative approach, using a structured questionnaire. The study included students enrolled in the nutrition undergraduate program at the Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Governador Valadares campus, Minas Gerais. The questionnaire included socioeconomic characteristics, the Brazilian Food Insecurity Scale, and the location of their main meals. Categorical data were presented in their absolute and relative frequency values, while quantitative data were described in median and minimum and maximum values. Multinomial logistic regression was used to determine the factors associated with the presence of food insecurity, estimating the Odds Ratio (OR) and 95% Confidence Intervals (95% CI). Results: A total of 84 (39.1%) nutrition students participated in the study, the majority of whom were female (79.6%) and who self- declared as brown or black (52.4%). It was observed that approximately 31 (36.90%) students were in a situation of food insecurity, with 22 (26.19%) in mild form, 7 (8.33%) moderate and 2 (2.38%) severe. Multivariate analysis revealed that Black/Mixed skin color increased the chance of being food insecure by 3.6 times (OR: 3.6; 95% CI: 1.29- 9.8), while having a family income above 3 minimum wages was a protective factor (OR: 0.69; 95% CI: 0.49-0.97). Most students (63.10%) used the University Restaurant for their main meals. Conclusion: This study revealed that food insecurity is present in the university environment and is associated with ethnic-racial and socioeconomic factors, highlighting the importance of expanding public policies aimed at ensuring student retention and contributing to guaranteeing the Human Right to Adequate Food.