Between 2002-03 and 2008-09, the average annual per capita acquisition (the amount of a product a family acquires in one year, divided by the number of people in the family) decreased 40.5% for polished rice ...

 

Between 2002-03 and 2008-09, the average annual per capita acquisition (the amount of a product a family acquires in one year, divided by the number of people in the family) decreased 40.5% for polished rice (from 24.5 kg to 14.6 kg), 26.4% for beans (from 12.4 kg to 9.1 kg) and 48.3% for refined sugar (from 6.1 kg to 3.2 kg). In the same period there were increases, among others, in cola soft drinks (39.3%, from 9.1 kg to 12.7 kg), mineral water (27.5%, from 10.9 kg to 13.9 kg) and beer (23.2%, from 4.6 kg to 5.6 kg).

 

The evolution of food consumption at home in that period also indicates a decrease in relative participation of traditional items in the composition of the average daily total of calories Brazilians ingest, such as rice (from 17.4% to 16.2%), beans (from 6.6% to 5.4%) and cassava flour (from 4.9% to 3.9%), whereas the proportion of industrialized food items increased, such as bread (from 5.7% to 6.4%), sausages (from 1.78% to 2.2%), cookies (from 3.1% to 3.4%), soft drinks (from 1.5% to 1.8%) and ready meals (from 3.3% to 4.6%).

 

This and other information are available in the publications of the Consumer Expenditure Survey (POF) 2008-2009: “Per capita household food acquisition – Brazil and Major Regions’ – that evaluates the amounts of food Brazilian families acquire for domestic consumption, as well as the manners of this acquisition – and “Analysis of household availability of food in Brazil” – that studies the quality of available food items for household consumption. These food items represented, in the period of the survey, 68.9% of average monthly family expenses with food, against 75.9% registered in 2002-03, indicating a change in expenses with food at home.

 

Among the averages of per capita household food acquisition in the whole country in 2008-2009, the highlights are the wide groups of beverages and infusions (50.7 kg); dairy products (43.7); cereals and legumes (39.0 kg); fruits (28.9 kg); green vegetables (27.1 kg) and meat (25.4 kg). The acquisition in the urban area was bigger than national average for beverages and infusions (55.2 kg) and much smaller in the rural area (28.9 kg). The same happened with fruits (30.3 kg in the urban area, 21.9 kg in the rural area), but the situation was reversed with the groups of cereals and legumes (34.1 kg urban, 62.5 kg rural) and meat (24.6 kg urban, 29.6 kg rural).

 

Among the regions, the South stood out in the average annual per capita acquisition of the groups meat (35.7 kg), dairy products (67.4 kg), beverages and infusions (64.1 kg), green vegetables (38.6kg), fruits (36.5 kg) and prepared foods and industrial mixes (4.8 kg), all above the respective national and regional averages. The Central West and the Northeast had the highest averages for cereals and legumes (50.2 kg and 43.6 kg, respectively). In the comparison between urban and rural areas, polished rice and beef presented averages superior to national averages in the rural area (18.4 kg and 18.1 kg, respectively), whereas pasteurized cow milk had higher averages in the urban area (29.2 kg).

 

The nutritional analysis showed that, in 2008-2009, the average per capita food availability corresponded to 1.611 kcal/day; less than in 2002-2003 (1.791 kcal). The survey identified some negative characteristics of the food consumption pattern in the whole country and in all income groups, such as the excessive sugar intake (16.36%) and the insufficient participation of fruits (2.04%) and vegetables (0.80%) in nourishing. In the economically developed regions (South, Southeast and Central West) and especially in the urban environment and among high-income families, there was a high ingestion of fats, especially the saturated ones. Positive consumption patterns were also observed, such as the systematic adequate protein intake (12.08%) and the high participation of proteins of animal origin (6.69%).

 

Acquisition of beverages and fruits is bigger in the urban area; that of cereals and meat, in the rural area

 

In the analysis of per capita annual averages of household food acquisition in the whole country, the highlights are the groups of beverages and infusions, with 50.7 kg; dairy products (comprising milk, cheese, yogurt and others), with 43.7 kg; cereals and legumes (38.9 kg); fruits (28.9 kg); green vegetables (27.1 kg) and meat (25.4 kg).

 

Results of these groups vary widely between urban and rural areas. In the group beverages and infusions, the urban area presented per capita annual average of household acquisition 9% higher than national average (55.2 kg); the rural area had a 43% lower average (28.9 kg). Also in the group of fruits, the urban average was 30.3 kg, 5% higher than the national index, whereas the rural average was 21.9 kg, 24% lower. Both the groups of cereals and legumes (34.1 kg in the urban area, 62.5 kg in the rural area) and meat (24.5 kg urban, 29.6 kg rural) had a reversed behavior.

 

The most used manner of food acquisition in the whole country was the monetary, even in the rural area. In the rural situation, the non-monetary acquisition surpassed the monetary one only in the groups Dairy products (26.1 kg against 17.3 kg, a difference of 51%) and Fish (3.9 kg against 3.7 kg, a difference of 5.4%). Other food groups had significant participation of non-monetary acquisition, even when inferior to the monetary one, with Green vegetables (38%), Fruits (43%) and Meat (21%) standing out.

 

Families from the South region acquire more dairy products, meat, beverages, green vegetables and fruits

 

Meat acquisition stood out in the South (35.7 kg) and North (31.4 kg), above the national average of 25.4 kg. The North kept the leadership in Fish (17.5 kg) acquisition, much above the average in Brazil (4.0 kg).

 

Besides meat, the South had averages above the national and those from the other regions for the groups Dairy products (67.4 kg), Beverages and infusions (64.1 kg), Green vegetables (38.6kg), Fruits (36.5 kg) and Prepared foods and industrial mixes (4.8 kg). In the Southeast, Dairy products (50.5 kg), Beverages and infusions (55.8 kg), and Prepared foods and industrial mixes (4.3 kg) stood out, all above national average.

 

Habits of household food consumption in the Central West and Northeast regions reflected the great annual amounts per capita of acquired cereals and legumes (50.2 kg and 43.6 kg, respectively), higher than the national average of 39.0 kg. For example, in the Central West, rice had an average per capita of 36.3 kg, while the national average was 26.5 kg, and in the Northeast, the average of beans was 12.3 kg (the national was 9.1 kg).

 

 

Rice and beans are more acquired in the rural area and by the low-income population

 

Among food products traditionally present at the menu of Brazilian families, the main annual per capita acquisitions in 2008-2009 were pasteurized cow milk (25.6 kg), beef (17.0 kg) and polished rice (14.6 kg). In the rural area, polished rice and beef presented averages superior to national averages (18.4 kg and 18.1 kg, respectively), whereas pasteurized cow milk had higher averages in the urban area (29.2 kg). Fresh cow milk stands out, whose average in the rural area was 30.4 kg, 211% over the national average of 9.8 kg and that contributes to the great non-monetary acquisition of Dairy products in the rural area.

 

The analysis of selected products, from the viewpoint of groups of monthly household average yield showed that only rice (27.6 kg) and beans (10.3 kg) had averages of annual per capita acquisition above the total of Brazil (26.5 kg and 9.1 kg, respectively) in the lower group of total income (up to R$ 830.00) and below this same average (18.6 kg and 7.3 kg, respectively) in the group of higher income (above R$ 6,225.00).

 

In relation to the amounts acquired of the other products and selected groups, significant differences are observed between classes of lower and higher income, with this last one presenting proportionally much higher averages Alcoholic beverages (19.2 kg against 2.1 kg, 799% superior), prepared foods and industrial mixes (8.4 kg against 1.4 kg, 514% bigger), non-alcoholic beverages (84.8 kg against 16.9 kg, 401% bigger), yogurt (4.3 kg against 0.9 kg, 379%), fruits (59.3 kg against 14.3 kg, 316% bigger), pasteurized cow milk (40.2 kg against 11.6 kg, 246% bigger) and green vegetables (44.3 kg against 15.5 kg, 187%).

 

Between 2003 and 2009, Brazilians bought less sugar, rice and beans and more soft drinks and beer

 

In comparison to the 2002-2003 survey, there was a reduction on the average quantities acquired in most groups defined by POF, with the largest decreases in the groups of coconuts, chestnuts and nuts (77.8% reduction), flour, starches and pasta (20.5% decrease) and cereals and legumes (19.4% decrease).

 

The group of fruits had a 17.9% increase in per capita household acquisition from 2002-2003 (24.5 kg) to 2008-2009 (28.9 kg). For the group of beverages and infusions, the increase was 12% (45.3 kg in 2002-2003, 50.7 kg in 2008-2009).

 

Among individual products, the highlight is the considerable reduction in the acquired quantities of rice and beans, traditional Brazilian staple foods. The per capita average of polished rice changed from 24.6 kg in 2002-2003 to 14.6 kg in 2008-2009 (40.5% fall). The average of beans changed from 12.4 kg to 9.1 kg (26.4% reduction).

 

Refined sugar decreased from 6.1 kg in 2002-2003 to 3.2 in 2008-2009, proportionally the largest decrease among the selected products (48.3%). Refined sugar had a 33.9% reduction, from to 12.2 kg to 8.0 kg. Wheat flour and cassava flour had reductions of 33.2% (from 5.1 kg to 3.4 kg) and 31.4% (from 7.8 kg to 5.3 kg) respectively.

 

Among products that presented increases of per capita averages between 2002-2003 and 2008-2009, the highlights were cola soft drinks, which increased 39.3% (from 9.1 kg to 12.7 kg), mineral water, 27.5% (from 11.0 kg to 14.0 kg) and beer, 23.2% (from 4.6 kg to 5.6 kg). In the rural area, these three products had even more expressive increases: the average acquired quantities of cola soft drinks changed from 3.2 kg to 6.1 kg (92% increase); mineral water, from 1.6 kg to 6.1 kg (291% increase); and beer, from 1.7 kg to 3.2 kg (88% increase). French roll, which had a small positive variation (1.6%) in the total of Brazil (from 12.3 kg to 12.5 kg), recorded significant increase in the rural area, from 4.8 kg to 6.0 kg (26% increase).

 

By dividing the population in fifths of monthly family average yield, a decrease was observed between both surveys, in all fifths, in the groups cereals and legumes; green vegetables; flour, starches and pasta; and dairy products. The group of fish presented increase around 13% in the last fifth and decreases in all the others. The group beverages and infusions had rises in all fifths, with the highest being the first two (22% and 24%). In the group prepared foods and industrial mixes, the highest increase occurred in the first fifth (67%). The group of bread had similar quantities recorded in the highest fifth of income and increase in the other fifths, notably in the first two (18% and 15%, respectively).

 

Consumption of rice, beans and sugar has decreased in the metropolitan areas since 1974

 

In order to compare the survey results with data from the National Institute of Family Expenses (Endef 1974-75) and those from previous POFs, only quantities of food products acquired by monetary expenses were considered, as well as information from the metropolitan areas of Belém, Fortaleza, Recife, Salvador, Belo Horizonte, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Curitiba, Porto Alegre, and Brasília/FD.

 

From this perspective, some components of the traditional family menu had an expressive decrease. Polished rice had a reduction of 60% in the annual per capita acquired quantity from 1975 (31.6 kg) to 2009 (12.6 kg). The reduction was more marked between POFs 1995-1996 and 2008-2009 (53%). Beans also had acquisition for consumption at home reduced 49%, with a slower pace of decrease from 1996 to 2003 (10%). Refined sugar (15.8 kg in 1974-75) had a substantial fall, reaching 3.3 kg in 2008-2009 (79% reduction).

 

Families consume more sugar and less fruits and green vegetables than recommended

 

POF 2008-2009 estimated that household average daily food availability corresponds to 1,611 kcal per person, being 1,536 kcal in the urban environment and 1,973 kcal in the rural one. Carbohydrate availability represented 59% of calories, 12% were proteins and 29%, lipids. This demonstrates diet suitability to nutritional recommendations (between 55% and 75% for carbohydrates, from 10% to 15% for proteins, and between 15% and 30% for lipid calories, coming from fats). The only evidence of unbalance comes from excessive sugar: 16.4% of total calories against a maximum of 10% established by nutritional recommendations.

 

The estimated protein content was considered adequate in five major regions in the country (between 11% and 13% of total calories); the participation of fats in the South and Southeast (31% to 32% of total calories) is excessive, being the level of saturated fats (from animal products and associated with heart diseases and diabetes) very close to the limit (8.9% and 9.4% of total calories, respectively). Sugar consumption is also high in all regions, ranging from 13.9% in the North to 17.4% in the Southeast.

 

The proportion of lipid calories in the urban environment is close to the upper limit of 30% defined by nutritional recommendations, with excess of saturated fats (8.7%), due to the participation of vegetable oils and fats, and also the contribution of products of animal origin (beef, chicken, sausages, milk and dairy products).

 

Food items of vegetable origin, like cereals and legumes, root and tuber crops, corresponded in 2008-2009 to 45% of calories. The participation of cereals and derivative products was approximately 35%, both in urban and rural areas, but bread, cookies and noodles were the most often consumed in the urban environment, whereas rice, wheat flour and other cereals and derivative products stood out in rural areas.

 

Oils, fats, table sugar, soft drinks and spirits accounted for 28% of calories in 2008-2009, whereas 19% came from meat, milk and dairy products and eggs. Beef had a participation of 4.6% in cities and 3.8% in the field. Chicken represented 4.2% in the urban environment against 3.5% in rural areas.

 

High-calorie food participated with approximately 28% of total calories, but the individual contribution of table sugar was stronger in the rural environment than in the urban one (14.1% against 10.5%), whereas that of soft drinks was stronger in the urban (2.0%) than in the rural (0.8%) environment.

 

Fruits and vegetables corresponded to 2.8% of calories in that year, one fourth of the recommendations of at least 400 grams daily or 9% to 12% of calories of a diet of 2,000 kcal. The participation of these food items was bigger in the urban environment (3.2%) than in the rural (1.8%) one.

 

The participation of rice (23.3%) in food availability of the Central West region is once and a half or twice as big as that in the other regions of the country. The participation of wheat flour (6.6%) in the South region is four to six times bigger than that observed in the other regions. On the other hand, availability below national average occurs in regions North and Northeast in relation to milk and dairy products (3.7% and 4.6%, respectively), greens and vegetables (0.5% and 0.7%).

 

High-income families consume more fat and less carbohydrates

 

The higher families’ income is the higher is their consumption of fat and the lower is their consumption of carbohydrates. The lowest contribution of 55% carbohydrates for total calories is not true for the group of monthly income higher than 15 minimum wages, with the aggravating factor that around 30% carbohydrates of diet in this income group (16.5% in 54.6%) correspond to free sugars (table sugar, rapadura, honey and sugars added to processed food items).

 

In the case of fats, the 30% upper limit of total calories is surpassed from the group of monthly income of more than six minimum wages. Saturated fats tend to increase with income, with the limit to this nutrient (10% of total calories) being reached in the group of monthly income between 10 and 15 minimum wages (9.5%) and surpassed in that of more than 15 minimum wages(10.6% of total calories).

 

The upper limit of 10% sugar calories is surpassed in all income groups. Although the protein content in the diet tends to increase with income, the proportion of protein calories was adequate in all income groups. The fraction of animal protein also tends to increase with income, but within a range of relatively high and adequate figures, being 50% in the low-income group and 60% in the high-income group.

 

POF 2008-2009 shows that milk and dairy products, fruits, vegetables, animal fat, spirits and ready meals are more consumed by high-income groups. With the opposite trend are beans and other legumes, cereals and derivatives (due to the decreased participation of rice with income) and root and tuber crops (due to the decreased participation of cassava flour with income). Reduction of table sugar and increase of soft drinks were observed with income, besides increase of beef and sausages and decrease or stability of other kinds of meat.

 

Daily food availability decreased from 1,791 kcal to 1,611 kcal in six years

 

Average per capita daily food availability for household consumption decreased from 1,791 kcal in 2002-2003 to 1,611 kcal in 2008-2009, reflecting the relative increase of food consumption outside the household. Expenses with food outside the household, which corresponded to 24.1% of total expenses with food in 2002-2003, rose to 31.1% in 2008-2009.   

 

Food items that had more than 5% increased participation in total calories include French roll (13%), cookies (10%), cheese (16%), other dairy products (39%), beef (15%) and sausages (25%), fruits and fruit juices (25%), soft drinks (16%), spirits (28%) and ready meals and industrialized mixes (40%). Those that recorded reduction of more than 5% participation in total calories include rice (6% decrease), beans (18% decrease), wheat flour (25%) and cassava (19%), milk (10% decrease) and sugar (8% decrease).

 

 

 

Carbohydrate consumption decreased and fat consumption increased

 

The evolution of the nutritional composition of household food availability evidences the decreased carbohydrate content compensated by the increased fat and protein content. The fraction of carbohydrates that most decreases is that which excludes free sugars. The fraction of protein that increases is that of animal origin.

 

Most food items with increasing participation in total calorie showed relatively larger increases in lower income groups, causing a decreased distance between low- and high-income families. This happened with French roll, cheese, sausages, fruits and fruit juices, soft drinks, spirits and ready meals and industrialized mixes. In the first fifth of income, there was an increased percentage participation of French roll in the total available daily calories; in the last fifth of income this participation decreased. Still about families in the first fifth of family income, an increase from 1.1% to 2.1% is observed, that is practically 100% increase, in the relative participation of industrialized mixes, whereas for higher-income families (last fifth of family income) this increase was 25%.