Of the 3.2 million households experiencing severe food insecurity in Brazil, almost half (46% — corresponding to 1.5 million) are headed by people with incomplete primary education.
These data are present in the Continuous National Household Sample Survey (Pnad Contínua): Food Security 2023, published by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE). This study portrays the condition of food security in the country’s households, using the Brazilian Food Insecurity Scale (Ebia).
In 1,473,840 homes in a situation of hunger, the head of the household was unable to complete primary education. Still in this breakdown by education level, 679,248 households (21.2%) are headed by people who graduated from high school.
The share of households with severe food insecurity led by people with no education and with incomplete or complete primary education is 67.4% (2,159,496 homes).
Only 92,916 households (2.9%) with severe food insecurity have family income earners with completed higher education. Next, there are 67,284 households (2.1%) headed by people with incomplete higher education.
Of the 3.2 million households in a situation of hunger:
- 403,704 households (12.6%) are headed by uneducated people
- 1,473,840 households (46%) are headed by people with incomplete primary education or equivalent
- 281,952 households (8.8%) are headed by people with complete primary education or equivalent
- 205,056 households (6.4%) are headed by people with incomplete secondary education or equivalent
- 679,248 households (21.2%) are headed by people with completed high school or equivalent
- 67,284 households (2.1%) are headed by people with incomplete higher education or equivalent
- 92,916 households (2.9%) are headed by people with completed higher education
As a result, Pnad Contínua shows that households with responsible people with low education tend to have a greater share of food insecurity. But why does this happen? O Metropolises spoke to experts to understand the impacts.
Nathalie Beghin, from the management committee of the Institute of Socioeconomic Studies (Inesc), states that low education is “one of the multiple causes of hunger, as it reveals a wide spectrum of other needs”. “Hunger and poverty are the expression of a lack of State, which results in the violation of the rights of part of the population, especially the impoverished,” she states.
“Without a job and no income or little income, they cannot feed themselves. In other words, illiteracy or low education are accompanied by other needs, one does not come without the other”, she explains.
She highlights that the situation is “more serious” among population groups considered excluded, such as: women and black people. “The combination of racism, patriarchy and poverty produces a hunger with color and sex.”
Public policy
For Beghin, the only way to overcome this situation in Brazil is with the application of “quality public policies” in the sectors of education, health, social assistance, social housing, basic sanitation, food and nutritional security, among others.
Lorena Gonçalves Chaves Medeiros, professor of the nutrition course at the Centro Universitário do Planalto Central Apparecido dos Santos (Uniceplac), says that the level of education impacts the level of food security due to income, competition within the family budget with other accounts house and lack of knowledge about healthy eating.
According to the teacher, the level of education is also “crucial” to maintain a routine of taking care of one’s health: “Having knowledge about healthier eating habits provides greater autonomy to make conscious food choices”.
“Thus, a higher level of education is not only linked to income, but also directly influences people’s ability to make food choices that promote a healthier life,” he states.
