Seventy years of nutritionists’ activity in the National School Feeding Program: background, numerical reference parameters, reflections and perspectives

Abstract Objective The objective of this study was to critically review nutritionists’ practice within the National School Feeding Program in Brazil. Method The study was carried out based on a literature review and analysis of regulations and legislation. Official data from nutritionists' registration systems were used, covering the years 2012 to 2024; the relevant data were provided by the General Coordination of the National School Feeding Program/National Education Development Fund. Results We observed that the number of nutritionists associated with the Program almost doubled between 2009 and 2023 despite fluctuations throughout the period. The year with the greatest number of registered nutritionists was 2013 (n=9,209). In 2023, adequacy in the number of nutritionists registered in the Program was 32.1% considering Brazil as a whole. Considering the geographic region, the registrations of the South (37.9%), Northeast (37.8%) and Midwest (33.7%) regions stand out, showing rates above Brazil’s average. The North (27.2%) and Southeast (26.9%) regions had percentages below 30% adequacy. Adequacy rates at the state level were lower than at the municipal level, in all the states. Conclusion The timeline shows that important advances have been made in the nutritionists’ practice in the Programa Nacional de Alimentação Escolar (National School Feeding Program). These advances may have contributed in qualifying the school feeding programs especially by seeking to ensure that the food served in schools meets not only basic nutritional needs but also the regional, cultural, social and sustainability specificities of each school community. Multiple challenges are in the way to meeting the recommended numerical parameters. Overcoming these challenges can yield strategic and sustainable progress in enhancing the PNAE as a public policy in Brazil, in line with the commitment to providing food within the framework of local realities and demands.