Food and nutrition education in Brazilian primary health care

Food and nutrition education initiatives have been identified as a pivotal component of Primary Health Care (PHC) in addressing the escalating prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). The present integrative review sought to identify and analyse food and nutrition education activities that have been developed in the context of Brazilian PHC. The literature search was conducted in the BVS and SciELO databases using the following search terms: “Food and nutrition education” AND “Primary care” OR “Primary health care” OR “Basic care” OR “Basic health care”. The results revealed that most activities were focused on promoting healthy lifestyles through individual and group counseling, the development of educational groups grounded in theory and practice, and professional training initiatives. The vast majority of studies referred to actions taken in the city of Belo Horizonte, under the responsibility of students or teachers of the Federal University of Minas Gerais. This review highlights the critical role of health professional training in consolidating food and nutrition education efforts, as well as the importance of interdisciplinary teams in achieving effective outcomes. Moreover, the integration of graduate students into these actions has been identified as a valuable component, contributing both to the success of the initiatives and to the students’ professional development. These findings reinforce the relevance of structured and collaborative food and nutrition education strategies in the PHC setting and point to the need for their continued expansion and institutional support.