Determinants of food and nutrition insecurity: a study conducted in Low-budget Restaurants in Belo Horizonte in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil

The scope of this study is to evaluate the condition of household food and nutrition (in)security (IAN) of the users of low-budget restaurants in Belo Horizonte (BH). This is an analytical cross-sectional study carried out on all low-budget restaurants and cafeteria in BH with a sample of 1613 users. The IAN was assessed using the Brazilian Food Insecurity Scale and cross-checked with the socioeconomic profile of the users. The Chisquare and Mann-Whitney tests were applied. All p-value < 0.25 variables were included in the multivariate analysis. The groups most exposed to IAN among users of low-budget restaurants are those with a lower socioeconomic level and per capita income class and those with a large number of residents in the household. Also affected are those who admit to having different kinds of wants and needs, and those for whom price and living alone are the main reasons for frequenting low-budget restaurants. The factors affecting the IAN are varied and multifactorial, thus representing a major challenge for public policy makers and for those who live directly with these dietary restrictions. The low-budget restaurants serve as a strategy for promoting healthy eating habits.