Inequality and public promotion of healthy food environments in the city of Curitiba, Brazil

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to analyze the geographic distribution of supplying equipment of fruits and vegetables (FV) in Curitiba, state of Paraná, Brazil, following the principle of equity, through an ecological research carried out in ten urban regions. For this purpose, aspects such as economic profile, spatial density of state equipment, namely stalls and boxes, trading FV and their relationship with nutritional local State of adult residents, were taken into account. The main findings of this analysis have shown a higher prevalence of overweight adults twined with lower density of state equipment selling FV in the poorer areas. Therefore, as detected in this investigation, the principle of equity embedded in the guidelines of National Policy of Food Security and Nutrition has not been complied with. Local State equipment has been in line with market requirements, which tend to benefit those already profiting from the neoliberal food system, while poorer segments living in the fringes of urban network remain exposed to the odds of supply-demand relations in order to access healthy food.