Work

Perception of the Food Environment and Food Security Levels of Residents of the City of Rio de Janeiro

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: The way individuals perceive and interact with the food environment can contribute to a higher prevalence of food insecurity (FI). OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the perception of the food environment and its association with FI in households in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. METHODS: Cross-sectional study. The survey was conducted with a sample of 2000 households, a representative stratified sample, with a margin of error of 4.9 percentage points and a 95% confidence interval (CI95%) in the city of Rio de Janeiro. The studies were evaluated using the Brazilian Food Insecurity Scale (EBIA). Perceptions of the food environment were measured by assessing the perceived availability, price, and quality of fruits and vegetables (FVs) and ultra-processed foods (UPFs) sold in the neighborhood. To analyze the association between stage variations and the perceived food environment, we conducted multinomial logistic regression, considering a 95%CI. RESULTS: Household heads in Rio de Janeiro perceive that both FVs and UPFs are available in their neighborhoods. However, UPFs are perceived as cheaper and more diverse than FVs, regardless of the level of food safety. In the association analysis, a greater relative risk ratio was found for heads of households who perceive an unfavorable scenario in the food environment for FVs, in terms of availability (RRR = 5.6; 95%IC: 3.0-10.4), quality (RRR = 4.5; 95%IC: 2.6-7.9), and price (RRR = 2.5; 95%IC: 1.7-3.6), to experience a situation of moderate/severe FI. CONCLUSIONS: The way individuals interact with and perceive their territories can reflect on access to adequate and healthy food, especially in households in a situation of FI.

Source: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

DOI: 10.3390/ijerph22040642

Authors: Paulo César Pereira de Castro Junior, Yoko Ametista Carvalho Suéte Matos, Roberta Teixeira de Oliveira, Rosana Salles-Costa, Aline Alves Ferreira

Institution: Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro

Language: English

Topic: Food Security and Health in Diverse Populations

Subfield: General Health Professions

Field: Health Professions

Domain: Health Sciences

SDGs: Zero hunger, No poverty, Good health and well-being, Sustainable cities and communities, Reduced inequalities

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,016