Qualitative analysis of menus planned for social equipments maintained by a social organization in São Paulo city

Abstract

Adequate food consumption is essential for the promotion and maintenance of people health and well-being, in addition to assuring growthand development mainly during infancy. This study aims to qualitatively compare menus planned for social equipments maintained by a two-period socialorganization in Sao Paulo city, according to the alimentary pyramid. For the accomplishment of this study one requested 19 social equipment weeklymenus for lunch and supper in two periods: October - December 2007 and January - March 2008, elaborated by nursing assistants and their supervisorswithout instructions of nutritionists. Data had been analyzed with the aid of a spreadsheet elaborated on the basis of the Alimentary Pyramid groups.Results show that in the first period it was observed that 31,3% of the institutions presented adequate menus for lunch and 100% inadequate menus forsupper. In the second period, we also observed inadequate menus for supper. Regarding lunch, the percentage of adequacy improved significantly from31,3% to 85,7%. Comparing the analyzed periods, we observed changes regarding the absence of the main alimentary groups in Lunch: meats and eggsfrom 13% to 2,7%; cereals, breads, tubercles and roots from 12,5% to 0%; fruits from 43,8% for 26,7%; green foods from 12,5% to 8%, and leguminousfoods from 43,8% to 13,3%. Supper: meats and eggs from 50% to 18,5%; cereals, breads, tubercles and roots, from 75% to 30,8%; fruits from 68,8%to 35,4%; green foods from 53,3% to 38,5%, and leguminous foods from 100% to 75,4%. We concluded that inadequacies and oscillations regardingimprovements observed may be attributed to the lack of planning in the elaboration of menus and to management problems. Changes in menus of theseequipments, under the supervision of professional nutritionists are necessary to solve the detected problems.