THE IMPORTANCE OF PUBLIC HEALTH FOR THE DIAGNOSIS OF NUTRITIONAL DEFICIENCIES: AN INTEGRATIVE REVIEW

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze the importance of public health in the diagnosis of nutritional deficiencies, highlighting the role of the nutritionist in primary health care. This is an integrative review with a descriptive, qualitative, and exploratory approach. Data were collected from the Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System (MEDLINE) and Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature (LILACS), through the Virtual Health Library (VHL), using the descriptors: Public Health, National Health Promotion Policy, and Unified Health System, combined with Food Deficiency and Food Assistance. Full-text studies published between 2011 and 2025 in Portuguese and English were included. The results show that public health plays a fundamental role in identifying nutritional deficiencies, especially in socially vulnerable contexts, contributing to the organization of health actions, food education, and comprehensive care. It is concluded that nutritional diagnosis within the context of public health strengthens multiprofessional practice and improves population health conditions.