Inequalities in access to food in Brazil: a scoping review with a racial and gender focus and policy recommendations.

Abstract

Vulnerable populations, such as women and Black individuals, face greater physical and economic challenges in accessing food, revealing that food environments are structured as a reflection of the country's social inequalities. In this context, this study aimed to conduct a scoping review in order to identify studies on food access, acquisition, and availability in Brazil, with a specific focus on gender and race/skin color. The study also aimed to identify recommendations for policymakers in designing public policies to improve food access in Brazil, while considering the existing inequalities across these dimensions. The search was conducted in four databases without date restrictions. The search strategy was constructed by combining the descriptors "access", "acquisition", and "availability" of food with social markers such as "gender" and "race/skin color", using Boolean operators. All stages of study selection and data extraction were conducted by two independent researchers. The findings reveal structural inequalities in food access, with more pronounced barriers for Black women. A concentration of food deserts and swamps was observed in areas with greater social and racial vulnerability. Nonetheless, a lack of studies addressing gender and the intersection of gender and race/skin color was identified. The results of this review underscore the urgency of fair public policies that incorporate racial and gender equity and can ensure the human right to adequate food equitably for the entire Brazilian population.