QUALITATIVE PROFILE OF THE FOOD OF SCHOOL CHILDREN IN THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE NETWORK OF A CITY IN THE INTERIOR OF SÃO PAULO

Abstract

Due to the increase in the consumption of ultra-processed foods in the school environment, the need for studies on the consequences of consuming this type of food in relation to students' cognitive development and learning becomes evident. Therefore, the objective of this research was to qualitatively analyze the foods consumed by students during their time at school. The project methodology consisted of passive observation visits to four public schools and one private school during mealtimes, without interacting with the students. A guide was created to collect information on the composition of the menus offered, and later, a comparative analysis of the data obtained was carried out. The findings of the present study indicate that public schools have better adequacy in food quality due to their inclusion in the National School Feeding Program (PNAE), although fresh foods such as vegetables and fruits are not well accepted by students. The private school visited offered less healthy options as it is not subject to this program, leading students to consume more ultra-processed foods.