Propõe-se um modelo de ensino em nutrição para a escola do primeiro grau do Estado de Pernambuco (Brasil). Com base no estudo da proposta curricular de ciências que contém "Programas de Saúde", e nos resultados da pesquisa realizada com alunos da oitava série e professores da área metropolitana de Recife, elaborou-se um programa de ensino em nutrição que representa os temas sugeridos pelos alunos. Esta fase compreendeu: seleção de objetivos; seleção e organização do conteúdo; seleção de técnicas; recursos e instrumentos de avaliação, considerando os aspectos de logicidade, gradualidade, continuidade e integração. Os seguintes objetivos gerais de cada série nortearam a seleção e organização dos temas: a) Primeira série - Identificar a interdependência entre: ambiente, homem e alimento; b) Segunda série - Classificar os alimentos conforme a sua origem e função e identificar os recursos alimentares da comunidade; c) Terceira série - Agrupar os alimentos conforme a predominância de substâncias nutritivas e sua função no organismo e identificar os recursos alimentares do município; d) Quarta série - Identificar formas de higiene e conservação de alimentos e a produção agrícola e pecuária do Estado; e) Quinta série - Conhecer normas gerais de inspeção industrial e sanitária de alimentos; f) Sexta série - Conhecer as preparações habituais e típicas de região, bem como outras formas de utilização das fontes alimentares disponíveis e respectivas formas de preparo e cozimento; g) Sétima série - Identificar os fatores que interferem no acesso e utilização de uma dieta adequada às necessidades nutricionais de uma comunidade; h) Oitava série - Conhecer as doenças nutricionais mais freqüentes em Pernambuco e no Brasil, seus fatores determinantes, conseqüências e medidas preventivas adotadas. O programa proposto pode ser agregado ao "Programas de Saúde" correspondendo cada série a uma unidade entre as demais presentes nesta área de estudo.

This paper proposes a model the teaching of nutrition in primary schools in the State of Pernambuco, Brazil. Based on the study of the "Science Curriculum Proposal" as well as on the results of a survey conducted among teachers and 8th year students in the metropolitan area of Recife (the state capital), a program for nutrition teaching has been developed that reflects the topics suggested by the students. The elaboration of such a program included: establishment of goals; selection and organization of content; selection of techniques, resources and instruments of evaluation, taking into account such aspects as logical structure, grading, continuity and integration. Topic selection and organization were based on the following general objectives: a) 1st year - the understanding that environment, man and food are interdependent; b) 2nd year - the classification of food according to its origin and function and identifying community food resources; c) 3rd year - the grouping of food according to the predominance of nutrients and their function in the organism, as well as the identification of local food resources; d) 4th year - the identification of forms of food conservation and hygiene and the agricultural and cattle production of the state; e) 5th year - the awareness of general norms for industrial and sanitary food inspection; f) 6th year - the identification of typical local foods as well as different uses of available food resources and their preparation; g) 7th year - the identification of the factors involved in the access to and adaption of diet suited to the community's nutritional needs; h) 8th year - the familiarization with the most common nutritional diseases in Pernambuco as well as in Brazil in general, their determinant factors, consequences and preventive measures to be taken. The program proposed can be added to the Health Program, each grade (year) corresponding to one of the units of those in this study area.

Propõe-se um modelo de ensino em nutrição para a escola do primeiro grau do Estado de Pernambuco (Brasil). Com base no estudo da proposta curricular de ciências que contém "Programas de Saúde", e nos resultados da pesquisa realizada com alunos da oitava série e professores da área metropolitana de Recife, elaborou-se um programa de ensino em nutrição que representa os temas sugeridos pelos alunos. Esta fase compreendeu: seleção de objetivos; seleção e organização do conteúdo; seleção de técnicas; recursos e instrumentos de avaliação, considerando os aspectos de logicidade, gradualidade, continuidade e integração. Os seguintes objetivos gerais de cada série nortearam a seleção e organização dos temas: a) Primeira série - Identificar a interdependência entre: ambiente, homem e alimento; b) Segunda série - Classificar os alimentos conforme a sua origem e função e identificar os recursos alimentares da comunidade; c) Terceira série - Agrupar os alimentos conforme a predominância de substâncias nutritivas e sua função no organismo e identificar os recursos alimentares do município; d) Quarta série - Identificar formas de higiene e conservação de alimentos e a produção agrícola e pecuária do Estado; e) Quinta série - Conhecer normas gerais de inspeção industrial e sanitária de alimentos; f) Sexta série - Conhecer as preparações habituais e típicas de região, bem como outras formas de utilização das fontes alimentares disponíveis e respectivas formas de preparo e cozimento; g) Sétima série - Identificar os fatores que interferem no acesso e utilização de uma dieta adequada às necessidades nutricionais de uma comunidade; h) Oitava série - Conhecer as doenças nutricionais mais freqüentes em Pernambuco e no Brasil, seus fatores determinantes, conseqüências e medidas preventivas adotadas. O programa proposto pode ser agregado ao "Programas de Saúde" correspondendo cada série a uma unidade entre as demais presentes nesta área de estudo.

This paper proposes a model the teaching of nutrition in primary schools in the State of Pernambuco, Brazil. Based on the study of the "Science Curriculum Proposal" as well as on the results of a survey conducted among teachers and 8th year students in the metropolitan area of Recife (the state capital), a program for nutrition teaching has been developed that reflects the topics suggested by the students. The elaboration of such a program included: establishment of goals; selection and organization of content; selection of techniques, resources and instruments of evaluation, taking into account such aspects as logical structure, grading, continuity and integration. Topic selection and organization were based on the following general objectives: a) 1st year - the understanding that environment, man and food are interdependent; b) 2nd year - the classification of food according to its origin and function and identifying community food resources; c) 3rd year - the grouping of food according to the predominance of nutrients and their function in the organism, as well as the identification of local food resources; d) 4th year - the identification of forms of food conservation and hygiene and the agricultural and cattle production of the state; e) 5th year - the awareness of general norms for industrial and sanitary food inspection; f) 6th year - the identification of typical local foods as well as different uses of available food resources and their preparation; g) 7th year - the identification of the factors involved in the access to and adaption of diet suited to the community's nutritional needs; h) 8th year - the familiarization with the most common nutritional diseases in Pernambuco as well as in Brazil in general, their determinant factors, consequences and preventive measures to be taken. The program proposed can be added to the Health Program, each grade (year) corresponding to one of the units of those in this study area.

Objetivou-se estudar a situação da educação nutricional na escola do primeiro grau em Pernambuco, Brasil. Um total de 761 crianças (391 de escolas públicas e 370 de escolas privadas) foram observadas em várias escolas da área metropolitana de Recife. Para avaliar o conhecimento de nutrição das crianças, foi utilizado um questionário. As crianças das escolas primárias privadas mostraram maior conhecimento de nutrição que aquelas das escolas públicas. Entretanto, todas as crianças mostraram interesse em aprender mais sobre nutrição e a seleção de tópicos foi a mesma para ambos os tipos de escolas. As opiniões dos 111 professores consultados sobre a matéria coincidiram com aquelas dos estudantes, fato que confirma a inexistência de um conteúdo sistematizado de ensino em nutrição na escola do primeiro grau em Pernambuco.

The state of nutritional education in elementary schools in Pernambuco, Brazil, was studied. The "Proposta Curricular de Ciências" (Proposal for science curriculum) - a publication of the Pernambuco Office of Education - which contains the "Programas de Saúde" (Health programs), was analyzed and the actual behavior of students in the alst (8th) grade in relation to previously defined objectives was surveyed. The suvey covered 391 students from state schools and 370 from private schools in the metropolitan area of Recife (the State capital). A 37-item questionnaire was used to determine what the students had been aught and how much they had learned concerning Nutrition, as well as to identify the subjects they would be most interested in learning. The opinion of elementary school teachers was surveyed by means of a questionnaire consisting of four questions having to do with general aspects of Nutrition and Health and the contents of the current "Programas de Saúde". Significant differences as concerns private schol students were found with regard to 12 questions (40% of the cognitive test items). Such results are evidence of the fact that such students have greater knowledge of the themes presented. However, 33% of the state school students rated the content they had been taught as insufficient, and 44% as acceptable. Private school students choosing the same ratings comprised 28% and 44% respectively. The opinion of elementary school teachers coincided with that of the students, rating Nutrition as the second priority area in teaching. On the basis of such results it has been found that there is no systematized program for the teaching of Nutrition in elementary schools in Pernambuco. A redefinition of objectives and contents in that area is thus necessary.

Objetivou-se estudar a situação da educação nutricional na escola do primeiro grau em Pernambuco, Brasil. Um total de 761 crianças (391 de escolas públicas e 370 de escolas privadas) foram observadas em várias escolas da área metropolitana de Recife. Para avaliar o conhecimento de nutrição das crianças, foi utilizado um questionário. As crianças das escolas primárias privadas mostraram maior conhecimento de nutrição que aquelas das escolas públicas. Entretanto, todas as crianças mostraram interesse em aprender mais sobre nutrição e a seleção de tópicos foi a mesma para ambos os tipos de escolas. As opiniões dos 111 professores consultados sobre a matéria coincidiram com aquelas dos estudantes, fato que confirma a inexistência de um conteúdo sistematizado de ensino em nutrição na escola do primeiro grau em Pernambuco.

The state of nutritional education in elementary schools in Pernambuco, Brazil, was studied. The "Proposta Curricular de Ciências" (Proposal for science curriculum) - a publication of the Pernambuco Office of Education - which contains the "Programas de Saúde" (Health programs), was analyzed and the actual behavior of students in the alst (8th) grade in relation to previously defined objectives was surveyed. The suvey covered 391 students from state schools and 370 from private schools in the metropolitan area of Recife (the State capital). A 37-item questionnaire was used to determine what the students had been aught and how much they had learned concerning Nutrition, as well as to identify the subjects they would be most interested in learning. The opinion of elementary school teachers was surveyed by means of a questionnaire consisting of four questions having to do with general aspects of Nutrition and Health and the contents of the current "Programas de Saúde". Significant differences as concerns private schol students were found with regard to 12 questions (40% of the cognitive test items). Such results are evidence of the fact that such students have greater knowledge of the themes presented. However, 33% of the state school students rated the content they had been taught as insufficient, and 44% as acceptable. Private school students choosing the same ratings comprised 28% and 44% respectively. The opinion of elementary school teachers coincided with that of the students, rating Nutrition as the second priority area in teaching. On the basis of such results it has been found that there is no systematized program for the teaching of Nutrition in elementary schools in Pernambuco. A redefinition of objectives and contents in that area is thus necessary.