Background: social programs can improve the conditions required for families provide sufficient care and attention for an adequate health and nutrition. Objective: This study evaluates the effectiveness of the Brazilian's conditional cash transfer program - Bolsa Alimentação (PBA) on children anthropometric status. Methods: a cohort of 1847 children, followed for 12 months: 1615 PBA children; 232 non-PBA. There were 316 (14.6%) missing children during the study. A quasi- experimental study adopting the before-after strategy was applied and the effectiveness approach was used to assess the impact of the program on children nutritional status. Multilevel analysis with three levels was used in the statistical analysis. The mean increment variations of height-for-age and weight-for-age were the outcome variables and the participation in the PBA was the exposition. Four participation groups were established: children not exposed to the program (internal control group); exposed to the program throughout the 12 months, exposed to the program only in the last 6 months; and exposed to the program only in the first 6 months. Repeated measures were obtained at baseline and at 12 months. Results: it was found that the exposure to the program was associated to a mean variation in weight-for-age of 0.34 Z-score (IC = 0.04; 0.63) and height-for-age of 0.38 (IC = 0.05; 0.70) for children who were regular program beneficiaries during the follow-up. The exposure to the program in other periods was not statistically associated with a mean variation in the indicators. Conclusions: Cash transfers direct to the family were associated to anthropometric deficits reduction in childhood.

Objetivo: evaluar la eficacia del programa de transferencia de ingreso brasileño -Bolsa Alimentação (PBA)- sobre la variación media del incremento del peso y de la talla de niños. Métodos: cohorte de 1.847 niños seguida durante 12 meses: 1.615 eran niños PBA; 232 eran niños no PBA. Se ha registrado la pérdida de 316 (14,6%) niños durante el estudio. Se adopta el diseño casi-experimental y la estrategia antes-después con el enfoque de eficacia para evaluar el impacto del programa sobre el estado antropométrico de los niños. La regresión lineal multinivel fue usada en el análisis estadístico. La variación media del incremento del crecimiento de la talla y del peso para la edad fueron los resultados, y la participación en el programa la variable de exposición principal. Se establecieron cuatro grupos de participación en el programa: niños no expuestos al programa (control interno; expuestos al programa durante 12 meses de acompañamiento, expuestos al programa solo en los últimos 6; niños expuestos al programa solo en los primeros 6 meses. Las medidas repetidas se obtuvieron al inicio y a los 12 meses del seguimiento. Resultados: después de ajustar los efectos por los factores de confusión, la exposición al programa se asoció a una variación media de peso por edad de 0,34 Z-score (IC = 0,04; 0,63) y talla para la edad de 0,38 Z-score (IC = 0,05; 0,70) para los niños que fueron expuestos al programa durante los 12 meses. La exposición al programa en otros períodos de seguimiento no fue estadísticamente asociado con una variación media de peso o talla para la edad. Conclusiones: transferencias directas de ingresos a la familia se asociaron con la reducción de los déficits antropométricos en la infancia.

OBJETIVO: O estudo teve como objetivo desvelar os sentidos maternos atribuídos à adoção da prática da amamentação nos dois primeiros anos de vida da criança. MÉTODOS: Trata-se de estudo qualitativo e exploratório envolvendo mães que integraram a coorte de uma investigação mais ampla, desenvolvida nos municípios de Mutuípe e Laje, no Recôncavo da Bahia, Brasil. Utilizaram-se como recursos metodológicos a técnica da entrevista individual em profundidade e a análise temática. Os sentidos desvelados foram analisados à luz do referencial teórico da fenomenologia sociológica. RESULTADOS: Dentre os sentidos externalizados pelas mães, figuraram as singularidades da vivência com a amamentação, a importância do suporte familiar/cônjuge e dos profissionais de saúde e o conhecimento sobre a importância do aleitamento materno para o estado de saúde e nutrição da criança e da mãe. CONCLUSÃO: Os sentidos atribuídos à adoção do aleitamento materno por mães nos dois primeiros anos de vida da criança refletiram influências do contexto sociocultural materno e do discurso científico-biomédico, configuradas em complexas redes de relacionamentos sociais.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the maternal meanings attributed to breastfeeding during the child's first two years of life. METHODS: This qualitative, exploratory and analytical study involved mothers that participated in a cohort from a larger study done in the municipalities of Mutuipe and Laje in the Recôncavo area of the State of Bahia, Brazil. The methodological resources included thorough individual interviews and thematic analysis. The meanings were analyzed by the theoretical framework of sociological phenomenology. RESULTS: The meanings stated by the mothers show the singularity of breastfeeding, the importance of family, spousal and health practitioner support, and knowledge about the benefits of breastfeeding for the mother's and child's health and nutritional status. CONCLUSION: The meanings attributed to breastfeeding in the child's first two years of life reflected the influences of complex networks of social relationships of the mother's social and cultural context and of the scientific and biomedical discourse.