The nutritional quality of the meals and foods provided to beneficiaries of the Brazilian Worker's Food Program: a systematic review.

Abstract

The Brazilian Worker's Food Program (WFP) is a public policy initiative that focuses on nutritional assistance for low-income formal workers (less than five minimum wages). Currently, it serves more than 25 million formal workers (around 54%). This systematic review aimed to assess the nutritional quality of meals offered and/or consumed by beneficiaries of the WFP. Observational studies conducted with workers from companies registered in the programme were eligible, with no restrictions on the period of publication. The nutritional quality was assessed according to the guidelines of the programme (Normative Ordinance No. 66/2006). Twenty cross-sectional studies and one cohort study met the inclusion criteria. Most of the participants were male, from manufacturing industries, and their average age was 35.0 years. The results of the analysis showed that fibre, sodium, calories, and proteins were the nutrients that most exceeded the recommended amounts, whereas carbohydrate was the nutrient that had the least amount. The results showed that the nutritional quality of the food offered to or consumed by workers did not fully meet the required guidelines and, in some companies, did not promote an adequate and healthy diet. The WFP has great potential and needs to be reformulated to make it a programme that contributes to strengthening the realisation of the human right to adequate food.