Food Insecurity and the Negative Impact on Brazilian Children's Health-Why Does Food Security Matter for Our Future Prosperity? Brazilian National Survey (PNDS 2006/07).

Background: Food insecurity (FI) refers to limited or uncertain access to food resulting from financial constraints. Numerous studies have shown association between FI and adverse health outcomes among adults and children around the world, but in Brazil, such information is scarce, especially if referring to nationally representative information.

Objective: To test for an independent association between FI and health outcomes.

[Factors associated with the consumption of soft drinks among Brazilian preschool children: national survey of 2006].

The rising consumption of sweetened beverages such as soft drinks or artificial juices is associated with the prevalence of obesity in Brazil and around the world. This study seeks to verify the frequency of consumption of these beverages among Brazilian children aged 24-59 months and to investigate the association of soft drinks with demographic, socioeconomic and nutritional variables. Using data from the National Survey on Demography and Health of Women and Children - 2006, the eating habits were obtained using the food and drink frequency questionnaire for the seven days preceding the interview, and anthropometry recorded the weight and height of children.

Association between socioeconomic and biological factors and infant weight gain: Brazilian Demographic and Health Survey--PNDS-2006/07.

Objective: To examine the associations between socioeconomic and biological factors and infant weight gain.

Methods: All infants (0-23 months of age) with available birth and postnatal weight data (n = 1763) were selected from the last nationally representative survey with complex probability sampling conducted in Brazil (2006/07). The outcome variable was conditional weight gain (CWG), which represents how much an individual has deviated from his/her expected weight gain, given the birth weight.

[Food insecurity in Brazilian families with children under five years of age].

This article analyzes food insecurity and hunger in Brazilian families with children under five years of age. This was a nationally representative cross-sectional study using data from the National Demographic and Health Survey on Women and Children (PNDS-2006), in which the outcome variable was moderate to severe food insecurity, measured by the Brazilian Food Insecurity Scale (EBIA). Prevalence estimates and prevalence ratios were generated with 95% confidence intervals.

[Socio-demographic and nutritional characteristics of Brazilian children under 2 years of age who were beneficiaries of conditional cash transfer programs in 2006].

The conditional cash transfer programs (PTCR) seek to combat poverty and hunger and to ensure food security. Children under the age of two of beneficiary families are more vulnerable to environmental conditions. This study seeks to describe this population according to socio-economic, demographic and nutritional variables.