Socioeconomic conditions, food supplementation programs and infant mortality in the state of São Paulo (1950 - 2000)

Abstract

This article discusses nutritional deficits in children in the State of Sao Paulo and nutritional transition with changes in the dietary pattern. Analyses programs of Food Supplement for Children, Pregnant women, and nursing mothers put in action in the State, since 1945. Analyses and compares infant mortality by nutritional deficits, real minimum income wages, and REM (working time necessary for acquisition of the minimum essential food for 4 people) taxes, for the period 1950-2000. Decrease in the value of the minimum wage, in the first decades of the period, had as consequence increase of REM and of infant mortality by nutritional deficits. Contrary to what was expected, in the second part of the period (1969-2000), in spite of continuous drop of the real minimum wage values and increase of REM, there was a tendency to decrease taxes of infant mortality by nutritional deficits. Other variables, as programs of food supplement described, improvement of sanitary conditions and medical care played important role.