Nutrition in the Family Health Strategy

This study aimed to characterise the Food and Nutrition actions developed in the Family Health Strategy in five large Brazilian municipalities with a view to contributing to the expansion and improvement of these actions in Primary Health Care. The results revealed difficulties in providing food and nutrition actions combined with a lack of nutritionists in the service and limited training which prevented the existing demand from being met limiting compliance with the principles of comprehensiveness universality and resolvability of health care. In view of this a note is raised to 'health governors' at the central level to reflect and rethink the reconfiguration of the current design of Family Health teams and the working conditions offered to them as well as to municipal managers on the need for more training so that adjustments can be made contributing to the expansion and improvement of food and nutrition initiatives developed in primary health care.