Brumadinho Health Project: food and nutrition insecurity versus socioeconomic statuses and dimensions of the food system after the dam rupture

Abstract

Objective: To describe the situation of food insecurity of families according to the socioeconomic characteristics and dimensions of the food system in Brumadinho, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, after the dam rupture in Córrego do Feijão mine. Methods: This is a descriptive study focused on households carried out from the baseline of the Brumadinho Health Project. Food insecurity, the main outcome, was assessed by the short version of the Brazilian Food Insecurity Scale. Other investigated variables were: socioeconomic data; geographic stratum of the households; family’s assets; income; expenses; cultivation of food and animal husbandry for consumption. Descriptive analyses were performed comparing the food insecurity of the household according to the other variables by the χ2 test to compare the proportions. Results: Of the investigated households (n=1,441), 35.1% were facing food insecurity. facing food insecurity had: lower prevalence of masonry households with coating (91.4%; 95%CI 87.7%−94.1% vs. 96.7%; 95%CI 94.9%−97.8%); highest proportion of rudimentary cesspit (16.9%; 95%CI 13.3%−21.2% vs. 9.4%; 95%CI 7.4−11.9); lower prevalence of own and paid-off homes (63.9%; 95%CI 56.8−70.5 vs. 77.3%; 95%CI 72.3−81.7); and income reduction after the dam rupture (33.0%; 95%CI 27.1−39.6 vs. 14.1%; 95%CI 11.2−17.6), when compared with those in a food security situation. Conclusion: The prevalence of food insecurity was high, with report of a reduction in household income after the dam rupture. Moreover, most of the households had worse structural quality and sewage outfall. These results evidence the vulnerability of families and possible violation of the human right to adequate food, denoting the urgency of continuous reparative actions.