Empty pocket, empty plate: riverside dwellers’ perceptions of eating practices in the COVID-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT Objective To understand the perceptions of riverside dwellers in Amazonas about the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economy and food practices. Methods Qualitative study carried out in 2022, during the 4th wave of the pandemic, with an intentional sample and saturation criteria. A sociodemographic and health profile questionnaire during the pandemic, the Brazil Economic Classification Criteria Questionnaire and a semi-structured script were applied. The transcripts of the semi-structured interviews and the field diaries of the participant observation were analyzed using Thematic Content Analysis divided into three stages: pre-analysis; exploration of the material and treatment of the results; interpretation and conclusion. Results The findings indicate that during the pandemic, the changes in the eating practices of the 12 riverside dwellers interviewed (seven women and five men) were the result of a drop in sales, lower earnings, higher food prices and the consequent reduction and/or exclusion of items available in the urban area that complemented their meals. Food from fishing and family farming guaranteed their sustenance during this period. Conclusion The results show that riverside dwellers in the Amazon were among the groups most impacted by the restrictive measures of the COVID-19 pandemic, with regard to eating practices and the economy. Their perceptions also demonstrate the accentuation of social inequalities and the mismanagement of public authorities in this period.