MAPPING AND ANALYSIS OF THE NUTRITIONAL PROFILE OF PREGNANT WOMEN ATTENDING FAMILY HEALTH UNITS IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF CRATO, CEARÁ

Abstract

During pregnancy, adequate and healthy nutrition is fundamental to ensuring the supply of essential nutrients, promoting the baby's development, and preventing complications. Despite the recent reduction in food insecurity in Brazil, the persistence of regional inequalities leads to an increase in the consumption of ultra-processed foods, exacerbating obesity and other chronic diseases, especially in vulnerable groups. Monitoring these changes is essential to guide public health actions, and the use of spatial data analysis enhances the identification of territorial inequalities, directing interventions. This study aimed to map and analyze the nutritional profile of pregnant women attended by family health units in the municipality of Crato, in the interior of Ceará, based on SISVAN data. This is a cross-sectional, descriptive study with a quantitative approach, including spatial analysis for classification and mapping of nutritional risk, which sought to identify and compare the nutritional profile of pregnant women among the 36 health units in the municipality of Crato (CE), evaluated through public SISVAN reports. The health units that presented the highest nutritional risks were Dr. Raimundo Bezerra de Araújo, Vila Padre Cícero, Gizélia Pinheiro, Muriti, and José Ribeiro, with overweight being the most significant nutritional risk. The higher numbers presented by these units may be associated with a larger registered population, better completion and recording of information, as well as a more active and participatory community that seeks health services more frequently. Furthermore, being located in peripheral areas, they may also be zones of social vulnerability, which could have influenced the observed indicators. The findings of this study reinforce the importance of food surveillance as a strategic instrument for identifying and monitoring nutritional risk in the territory. The proper completion and regularity of records in information systems are fundamental for the assessment of the population's nutritional status to reflect the local reality, allowing for more reliable analyses and supporting decision-making.