Abstract:

Introduction: Community Health Agents (CHA) contribute to improving the health of the population by developing activities for health promotion, disease prevention and health surveillance. However, there is an incipient supply of actions aimed at them, in the face of nutritional disorders and inadequate dietary practices, associated with the appearance of Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases. Objective: To analyze the association between dietary intake and nutritional status in Community Health Agents of the urban area of the municipality of Caicó-RN. Methodology: Cross-sectional study, quantitative approach, with sample composed of ACS adults of both sexes. Data collection was performed using an instrument containing sociodemographic, anthropometric (weight, height, waist circumference and BMI calculation) and dietary data (Food Consumption Frequency Questionnaire). The data were expressed by means of simple and absolute frequency and the association between the variables was analyzed by the chi-square test. Results: There was a high prevalence of overweight (41.1%), obesity (33.3%) and increased waist circumference (86.4%), representing a risk of metabolic complications. The professionals presented adequate consumption of legumes (54.5%), cereals (59.0%) and meat (98.9%), and inadequate consumption of fruits (76.1%), vegetables and vegetables (70.5%), milk and dairy products (89.3%), fried foods and fats (97.3%) and sweet foods and sugars (93.8%). There was no statistical significance between dietary intake and nutritional status. Conclusion: A significant percentage of individuals with overweight and abdominal obesity were observed, together with inadequate dietary practices, reinforcing the need to offer and expand actions that promote healthy eating habits and foster the quality of life of these health professionals.

Keywords: