A vigilância alimentar e nutricional em 20 anos da Política Nacional de Alimentação e Nutrição

Abstract

For the Brazilian Ministry of Health 1 , the continuous assessment of the food and nutritional profile of the population and its determining factors compose the food and nutrition surveillance, an essential guideline for nutritional care in the Brazilian Unified National Health System (SUS), for organization and management of food and nutrition care in the Health Care Network. This organization begins with the understanding of the food and nutritional status of the population embraced by primary health care (PHC) services and teams 1 , combined with information from other sources, such as research, population surveys, and other Health Information Systems (HIS), to support the construction and evaluation of public policies consistent with local needs. The Food and Nutrition Surveillance System (SISVAN) promotes continuous information on the feeding and nutritional status of the surveyed population. These data are valuable to trace the epidemiological and the nutritional profile of a population and they reflect the effect of actions conducted in certain communities 2. For many years, these data were collected and systematized by the states with different methods, making it impossible to analyze the food and nutritional status of the population assisted by the SUS. The current computerized system emerged in December 2007, with the incorporation of the growth curves of the World Health Organization (2006/2007) for the assessment of the nutritional status of children and adolescents. Firstly, the official information system allowed for the insertion of anthropometric data for all age cycles, and later of food consumption. This system launch was an opportunity to qualify professionals for data collection, nutritional assessment, registration and promotion of the use of information for decision-making. The SISVAN generates continuous and useful information for immediate use-information for action-both for managers, in the planning of action, and for professionals, in the reorganization of nutritional care in the health unit. However, it is observed that the information has not been used in its full potential for the planning, management, and assessment of food and nutritional actions in the scope of PHC 3,4 and, consequently, contributes little to the implementation of the Brazilian National Food and Nutrition Policy (PNAN). In this sense, it is evident the need to invest in the qualification of professionals and managers for better use of this system, and to expand the dissemination of information generated by it, clearly, both for the population and councils, and for health professionals and other sectors such as agriculture, social assistance, and education. Materials such as bulletins, maps, public notices can be produced and widely disseminated in the health unit, based on information from