Food habits and evaluation of nutritional status of migrant harvest workers in the Ribeirão Preto Region of S. Paulo State, Brazil

Abstract

This paper is related to a new class of agricultural migrant worker working on sugar-cane plantations in the State of S. Paulo, Southern Brazil. During harvest time they come from the northern states, stay to work in the area for a few months and return to their homes as soon as the harvest is over. Their food habits and intake are described, both at home and in the sugar-cane areas. Nutritional evaluation was carried out among a group of these workers by means of clinical-anthropometric measurements. It was found that during the working period in São Paulo, when they apparently have a higher caloric intake than in their home situation an increased weight, tricepital skinfold and arm circumference were observed.