PO 304. THE MEANINGS OF THE ACT OF EATING AMONG A SAMPLE OF BRAZILIAN ADULTS. AN INITIAL ANALYSIS

Background and objective. In a recent document, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) recommended that each country’s food guide be updated and be more holistic. The Dietary Guidelines for the Brazilian Population (DGBP), published by the Brazilian Ministry of Health in 2014, presented recommendations for healthy and adequate eating using a holistic approach rooted in health nutrition. The DGBP recommendations consider nutrients, food, meals, modes of eating, and socially and environmentally sustainable food systems. The “act of eating” is greatly emphasized in the second edition of the DGBP. However, how people understand the act of eating is unknown.

Methods. This cross-sectional, exploratory, and qualitative study analysed the meanings of the act of eating among a sample of Brazilian adults. The data were collected using an online questionnaire and face-to-face interview (n = 35). The data were analysed using the exploratory content analysis. In the second stage, we performed a textual analysis using IRAMUTEQ software. We present the data for this analysis using a word cloud.

Results. For the participants, the act of eating was a basic need, pleasurable activity, a time for sharing, sociocultural activity and laborious activity. These results may be considered as providing an initial insight, suggesting that the sample representing Brazilians interpret the act of eating in line with the DGBP and its holistic approach. This is an important finding for public food and nutrition policies in Brazil, which see the DGBP as a key tool for promoting healthy eating, as well as adequate, pleasant, and sustainable.

Conclusion. Our results are relevant to the national and international agenda, as several countries in the world are updating their food guides according to FAO recommendations, some of which are mirroring the second edition of the DGBP, which was internationally recognized for its innovative content and approach.