NUTRITIONAL INTERVENTION AND CARE FOR OVERWEIGHT IN THE ELDERLY POPULATION OF PICOS, PIAUÍ

LESSONS LEARNED FROM AN EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE

Abstract

Introduction: Brazil has undergone significant nutritional transitions in recent decades, such as a reduction in the number of cases of malnutrition and a rapid increase in the number of obese people. As a consequence, there has been an increase in the incidence of cases of chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and an increase in obesity, which frequently affects older people. Objective: To report the experience of nutritional intervention and overweight care carried out in elderly people linked to Primary Health Care (PHC). Experience report: Educational experience of nutritional intervention, carried out in January 2024, at a Basic Health Unit (UBS) in the city of Picos, Piauí. All elderly people living in the UBS territory were included in the educational action. The action was developed by students and a professor of the Nutrition course at the Federal University of Piauí. It occurred in three stages. In the initial stage, the project was presented to the UBS team. The educational materials to be used (game and informational folder) were then approved and, finally, the nutritional intervention was carried out. Fourteen elderly people participated in the intervention. Through expository dialogue in a conversation circle, information and guidance on improving daily eating habits were prioritized, emphasizing the need for individual care, nutrition, and emotional, social, and economic aspects. The accessible language/without technical terms favored the receptiveness, interest, and understanding of the elderly during the intervention. Conclusion: The conversation circle mediated by accessible language, as well as the educational materials produced, proved to be facilitators of the educational action in this specific group. Interactive educational approaches and tools should be evaluated by educators when planning educational actions, considering the profile of the participants. The need for training of professionals who mediate educational actions in PHC, through continuing education, is reiterated.