Promotion of Adequate and Healthy Eating within the scope of the School Health Program: implementation and contribution of the Healthy Growth Program

Abstract

The study aims to show the evolution of the percentage of schools adhering to the School Health Program (PSE) that carried  out a collective activity on the Promotion of  Adequate and Healthy Eating (PAAS) over  the last five years and verify if there is a  difference in this indicator according to adhesion to the Healthy Growth Program  (PCS). Ecological study, developed with data registered in the Health Information System for Primary Care (SISAB). The performance  of collective actions on PAAS from 2017 to  2019 increased. In 2020, there was a  reduction in the actions carried out; and in  2021 there was an increase in actions  carried out compared to 2020. The  municipalities that received additional funds from the PCS had the highest  percentages of schools carrying out  collective activities on PAAS. The  implementation of PAAS actions did not  occur homogeneously according to the  Brazilian macro-regions. It is concluded that there has been a strengthening of PAAS  actions within the scope of the PSE, with a  significant reduction of this action in the  context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Getting  additional resources from the PCS favored  the development of actions on PAAS, which  reinforces the importance of regular  financial transfers.