Food and Nutrition Education Challenges on School Environment: Perspective of Nutritionists and Educators

Abstract

Food and Nutrition Education (FNE) occurs under the principles of Food and Nutrition Security and the Human Right to Adequate Food and acts as a strategy for health promotion. The school environment is conducive to carrying out EAN actions. However, difficulties are observed in terms of school understanding and implementation.  Objective: To analyze the challenges found in the daily lives of nutritionists and educators working in public schools in Brazilian municipalities. Methods: Qualitative study based on the responses of nutritionists and education professionals participating in the course Planning actions on Food and Nutrition Education in the school environment, offered by the Collaborative Center on School Food and Nutrition at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul. The responses of a forum on the challenges for carrying out Food and Nutrition Education in the school environment of participants in three editions of the course (2018, 2019, 2020) were analyzed. Data were analyzed following three steps. The analysis techniques performed were firstly the pre-analysis, then the exploration of the material, and finally the interpretation of the statements.  Results: The results showed that the main difficulties found were concerning the performance of nutritionists, more specifically about the workload inconsistent with all scheduled activities, the unsatisfactory number of nutritionists in relation to what is recommended by legislation, the extensive work demand, and the difficulty in working with educators. Also, the difficulty regarding the lack of support from the management that addressed the commitment of managers to FNE, the lack of human and financial resources, and obstacles related to logistics. Finally, the adversities related to the food environment, which includes eating habits, family environment, socioeconomic conditions, and their impacts and sociocultural aspects that include culture, media, and their influences.  Final considerations: The difficulties reported demonstrate the need for greater control of the Program's legislation so that what is recommended by law is in accordance with the reality of the Executing Entities. Finally, there is a need for dialogue between all those involved in FNE actions in the school environment: nutritionists, educators, and managers. The three axes must be in agreement, with the awareness of the difficulties and the needs, to fully realize the FNE.