The article by Chaves et al. [18] is a survey on the trajectory of nutritionists in the PNAE since its creation until 2010. We ought to point out that, since the origins of Nutrition Science in the 1930s (with the first studies by Josué de Castro and his peers and the creation of the first courses for the training of nutritionists in Brazil at the University of São Paulo [USP] and at the Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro [UNIRIO], in 1939), nutritionists participated in the idealization of the school policy, regulated in 1955 as the School Meal Campaign and formalized as PNAE in the 1970s [23,24]. The regulation of the profession occurred in 1967 which was later replaced by Law No. 8,234/1991, still in force [25]. In 1978, the Federal and Regional Councils of Nutritionists were created. However, in July 2024, Law No. 14,924/2024 was enacted, which regulated the profession of nutrition and dietetics technician and amended Law No. 6,583/1978, which created the councils and regulated their operation. Consequently, the body is now called the Federal and Regional Nutrition Council [26]. After the promulgation of the 1988 Federal Constitution, access to school meals was assured to all elementary school students through the PNAE [27] (Figure 1).

In the 1990s and 2000s the presence of nutritionists in the PNAE was further consolidated. Law No. 8,913/1994 institutionalized the activities of such professionals [8]. In 2001, the decentralization of the PNAE ensured the continuous participation of the nutritionists in the preparation of menus [28]. Another historic milestone was set in 2003: for the first time, a nutritionist was appointed as coordinator of the PNAE under federal management; an expansion of the program ensued as well as an increase in the number of nutritionists operating in the country [18]. The technical responsibility for the program was assigned to nutritionists by the FNDE in 2006 (FNDE), consolidating their relevance [10] (Figure 1).

In order to support and be a reference for nutritionists and other PNAE players, the partnership between the FNDE and the Federal Higher Education Institutions, yielded the creation of the Centros Colaboradores em Alimentação e Nutrição Escolar (Cecanes, Collaborating Centers for School Food and Nutrition). Among other activities, the Cecanes promote training of the program’s social players [29] (Figure 1).

The 2009 legal framework (Law No. 11,947/2009) expanded the PNAE to cover the entire public basic education network; it also established purchases from family farmers (FF) and included FNE as an axis of action [11]. In 2005, the CFN defined the nutritionists’ responsibilities and updated them through the CFN Resolution No. 465/2010 [30] in 2010 (Figure 1).

In 2013, the Resolution CD/FNDE No. 26/2013 was adopted; this Resolution included a section on FNE recognizing the concept and principles of the FNE Framework [31]. In 2015, Resolution CD/FNDE No. 4/2015 was enacted to enhance FF and its impact on local social and economic development [32]. Subsequently, Resolution CD/FNDE No. 6/2020 [33], among other changes, enhanced the inclusion of FNE as a cross-cutting subject in the school curriculum giving priority to the acquisition of fresh and minimally processed foods. In 2022, the PNAE released a Technical Note to guide how each social player should act in the development of FNE [34]. Resolution FNDE No. 2/2023 restated the per capita values of the previous Resolution [35] (Figure 1).

Other political movements in the field of food and nutrition in the 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s were essential to guide the work of nutritionists in ensuring SAN and the Human Right to Adequate Food (HRAF), as well as in the Promoção da Alimentação Adequada e Saudável (PAAS, Adequate and Healthy Food Promotion). In this connection, the Política Nacional de Alimentação e Nutrição (National Food and Nutrition Policy) created in 1999 (updated in 2011) stands out, with actions in the SUS (Government Health Program) [36], including the formulation of Food Guides [37]. The 2003 Programa Fome Zero (Zero Hunger Program), with the Programa de Aquisição de Alimentos (PAA, Food Acquisition Program) for the purchase of food from family farmers (replaced by the Alimenta Brasil Program in 2021, but relaunched as PAA in 2023) [23,38]. The 2006 Lei Orgânica de Segurança Alimentar e Nutricional (Organic Law on Food and Nutrition Security), which created the Sistema Nacional de Segurança Alimentar e Nutricional (National Food and Nutrition Security System) [39]. In 2006 and 2007, regulations were instituted to articulate the education and health sectors, with the aim of strengthening the FNE in the school setting [23,40]. Further, in the 2010s, the Food and Nutrition Education Reference Framework for Public Policies (FNE Framework) was consolidated, establishing the concept of FNE and its principles [40]. To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the FNE Framework, the Laboratório de Inovação de EAN – LisEAN (FNE Innovation Laboratory), was launched in 2022, with FNE experiences in health, education, and social assistance [41]. Figure 1 shows the timeline of the nutritionists’ trajectory in the PNAE.

Table 1 shows the evolution of the number of nutritionists registered in the FNDE systems. A growth in the number of professionals is observed; however, there is a considerable decrease in the years in which registration systems were changed like in the years 2015 and 2024. It is noteworthy that in 2021, possibly due to the COVID-19 pandemic, nutritionists responsible for school meals were laid off from the implementing entities; this may have occurred, possibly because of the suspension of in-person classes on account of social distancing and the non-production of school meals in the schools physical settings., even with the continuation of food supply, through the distribution to parents or guardians of students, of foodstuffs purchased with federal resources from the PNAE (Law No. 13,987/2020) [42]. However, a return to nutritionists’ previous numbers was observed in the following year (2022).

Regarding the evolution of the nutritionists” registrations, Table 1 shows that 2013 was the year with the highest number of registrations (9,209), a fact that can be explained by the efforts made during that year [18] and in previous years, when the FNDE requested the implementing entities the updating of the nutritionists’ registration in SINUTRI; the FNDE also enhanced the regulations of the nutritionists’ attributions regarding coordination and implementation of FNE actions jointly with the school’s management and the pedagogical coordinators [31; combined with the need for a greater coordination with the FF in view of the updates brought by FNDE Resolution No. 4/2015 [32], as shown in Figure 1.

Table 2 describes the number of registered nutritionists in the different regions of the country, considering the execution entities and the state and municipal domains from 2018 to the first half of 2024. We can observe that the Midwest and North regions display the lowest number of registered nutritionists over the years, while the Southeast and Northeast have the highest numbers.

It is also evident that the number of professionals associated to the states’ network is significantly lower than that of the municipal network. Furthermore, when reviewing the evolution over the last seven years, it is clear that the number of professionals registered in the states is also tiny, and even decreasing, as is the case of the Midwest region, in relation to the increase that occurred in the municipalities during the same period (with the exception of the year 2024, because of a partial time analysis and also because of the changes in the registration system).

The analysis of the number of Brazilian municipalities without a registered nutritionist was carried out based on the year 2023, since this is the year with the most recent and complete data (12 months) available in the system (Table 3). It was found that 205 municipalities do not retain registered nutritionists. The state of Paraná leads the ranking of states with the largest number of municipalities that have not retained a nutritionist, followed by the states of Bahia, Goiás and Tocantins. The only state with the presence of nutritionists in all its municipalities was Rio de Janeiro.

Table 4 shows the adequacy rate of the numerical parameter of nutritionists, according to the CFN Resolution No. 465/2010 [30]. The figures show only 32.1% adequacy, a percentage below that expected after the publication of the standard. By geographic region, the South (37.9%), Northeast (37.8%) and Midwest (33.7%) regions stand out with rates above Brazil’s average. The North (27.2%) and Southeast (26.9%) regions showed rates below 30% adequacy.

Still on Table 4, we observe that the adequacy rates at state level are lower than at the municipal level, in all states. The states in the South region show rates close to zero (Paraná and Rio Grande do Sul 0.3% and Santa Catarina 0.9%). The State of Acre does not even have one registered nutritionist. On the other hand, the State of Piauí in the North has an adequacy rate of 86%, well above the national average.

The timeline previously presented shows that between 2000 and 2010, there were important advances in the performance of nutritionists in the PNAE (Figure 1). During this period, the implementation of technical responsibility [10] and the expansion of the responsibilities of nutritionists in the program [30] stand out. The PNAE guidelines were periodically updated to standardize and guide the social players, especially nutritionists, seeking to ensure the supply of adequate and healthy food [43]. Previously, nutritionists’ activity was limited to the preparation and adaptation of school meal menus [18]. However, after the establishment of the PNAE Legal Framework in 2009 [11], and with the enactment of CFN Resolution No. 465/2010 [30], nutritionists began to have thirteen mandatory responsibilities, which include: (i) Preparation of the menu; (ii) Participation in bidding processes and direct purchase from family farmers; (iii) Monitoring of schoolchildren’s nutritional status; (iv) Development of an annual work plan; (v) Advice to the Conselhos de Alimentação Escolar (CAE, School Feeding Councils); (vi) carrying out acceptability tests with schoolchildren; (vii) coordination with family farmers; (viii) Carrying out acceptability tests with schoolchildren; (ix) Supervision of food production and distribution; (x) Hygienic-sanitary control of the stages of school feeding production; (xi) Training and guidance of food handlers; (xii) Participation in intersectoral initiatives aimed at promoting healthy eating; and (xiii) Preparation of technical and administrative reports related to school feeding.

In general, our study identified a growing evolution in the number of nutritionists registered in the PNAE monitoring systems, as shown in Table 1. In fact, between 2011 and 2023, there was a 38.7% increase (from 6.218 to 8.627) in the number of nutritionists associated with the Program. Chaves et al. [18], in a pioneering review of the period from 2003 to 2011, had already pointed out the gradual increase in the number of nutritionists working in school feeding programs. According to the study [18], in 2003 there were 813 nutritionists registered in the PNAE, and in 2009/2010, after the establishment of the Legal Framework [11], this number had expanded to 4,479 professionals. Therefore, between 2009/2010 and 2023, despite quantitative fluctuations throughout the period, the number of nutritionists associated with PNAE almost doubled.

Over time, the role of nutritionists in the PNAE has proven to be essential to ensure that the food served in schools meets not only basic nutritional needs, but also the sustainable, regional, cultural and social specificities of each school community [8,13,44]. The surveys indicated that the presence of nutritionists in public schools is associated with greater implementation of FNE actions [12,17], transparency and an increase in the purchase of food from family farmers [12,45] and better academic performance of students [10]. However, studies carried out in some Brazilian municipalities highlight as the main challenge the insufficient number of nutritionists to carry out the duties provided for in the PNAE, with the aggravating factor that the work time allowed is often insufficient (less than 30 hours per week) [13,14]. This situation highlights the non-compliance with CFN regulations and other PNAE legislation, corroborated by the data on adequacy to the numerical parameter (Table 4).

Research on the perceptions of nutritionists working in the PNAE indicates that difficulties in complying with their duties are associated with a lack of adequate technical training and an insufficient number of professionals composing the teams [12,14,46]. In 2024, Teixeira et al. [47] conducted an integrative review of the literature on the implementation of the PNAE guidelines, pointing out the inadequacy of nutritional composition and menu planning in several Brazilian municipalities. Carvalho et al. [13] investigated the performance of nutritionists (technical managers) in the states of Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo and found a predominance of operational and administrative activities, which compromised technical tasks such as the promotion of SAN and FNE actions. In addition, they identified that the preparation of menus, taking into account habits, culture, and food seasonality, was also hampered due to the limited work time available. Triches and Brito [48] conducted a study with nutritionists from the southwest and west of Paraná and observed that the economic dimension was given priority over sustainability when developing menus and proposing educational actions. To face these challenges and strengthen FNE actions, in 2022, FNDE/PNAE prepared the Technical Note “Food and Nutrition Education in the PNAE: social players and possibilities for action”. This document includes as social players: nutritionists, directors/pedagogical coordinators (school management), teachers, school meal cooks, family farmers, schoolchildren family members or guardians, and members of the CAE [34].

Therefore, it is essential to implement initiatives that increase the number of nutritionists in the PNAE, seeking to ensure adequate resources for hiring and training these professionals. Furthermore, investing in continuing education, career development, and optimizing human resource management is also crucial [14,47]. Another key point is to develop strategies that enable an equitable distribution of nutritionists, especially in more remote regions or those with greater social vulnerability. The inequality in the distribution of nutritionists in the country, as shown in Tables 2, 3, and 4, can be influenced by factors such as population density, health and education infrastructure, availability of qualified professionals, and local financial resources. The difficulty in attracting and retaining qualified nutritionists in these regions can compromise the implementation of the PNAE as a whole and directly impact the program’s objectives.

In short, nutritionists working in the PNAE still face significant challenges, which may include a shortage of trained professionals in some regions of the country, heavy workload, and complex human resource management within the education systems. In addition, the possible reduction in the number of nutritionists in the PNAE may be a reflection of budgetary constraints, hiring policies, or even a lack of encouragement to value this professional category. This may result in an overload of work for the nutritionists available, jeopardizing the quality and scope of nutritional interventions in the program.

The number of registered nutritionists has varied over the last decade, alternating between periods of growth and reduction (Table 1). This scenario may be partly the result of the three changes in the FNDE nutritionist registration systems that have occurred over the last ten years (SINUTRI, SIMEC and SIGPNAE). It is clear that the updating, improvement and subsequent implementation of new systems in public policies and programs, such as PNAE, may occasionally create, besides the expected improvements, operational obstacles to the proper registration of professionals and managers. These difficulties may include technical issues related to platform integration, users’ lack of familiarity with new digital interfaces and necessary adjustments in the registration and information update processes. This phenomenon is represented in Table 1, where it can be seen that with each change in the registration system, there is a reduction in the number of nutritionists the year following the new registration system implementation.

The reduction in the number of professionals observed during the year 2021 (Table 1) can be attributed to the scenario of the Covid-19 pandemic, which hampered the permanence in the implementing entities of a number of professionals associated to the PNAE, as mentioned previously [49]. During that period (2021), even with the publication of Law No. 13,987/2020, which allowed the distribution of food kits [42,50], the re-registration of nutrition professionals was not observed. Only in 2022, with the resumption of the school routine, the number of nutritionists associated with the PNAE returned to the levels of the pre-pandemic years.

It is clear from Tables 2 and 4 that the number of nutritionists in the state network is lower than in the municipal network. There are many reasons for this disparity, but there are gaps to be investigated in the relationship between the adequacy of the number of professionals required and the type of management adopted by the state departments of education. It is worth noting that Resolution CD/FNDE No. 6/2020 provides that the implementing entities have autonomy to define the PNAE form of management, i.e. centralized, decentralized or school-based and semi-decentralized modalities [33].

Some states adopt outsourced management to manage school meals, either by hiring companies to manage the Program, such as Santa Catarina (SC) [51] and Espírito Santo (ES) [52], or by hiring companies to provide professionals, such as Ceará (CE) [53]. The present study identified that, in 2023, these states presented low adequacy rates of the number of nutritionists in the PNAE, considering the national average (SC: 0.9; CE: 3.2 and ES: 11.2) (Table 4). Diamico [54] conducted a study on the management of school meals in Santa Catarina and observed that outsourcing makes it difficult to align the different knowledge and perceptions of social players about healthy and sustainable foods. Furthermore, Carvalho et. al. [55] pointed out that outsourcing has the disadvantage of high meal costs and requires the reassignment of lunch ladies who are civil servants to other roles, which can impact work processes, especially in the relationship with nutritionists.

It is important to remember that, regardless of their functions in the PNAE, nutritionists associated with outsourced companies should not be registered in the FNDE systems. Federal regulations indicate that the registration is intended for professionals from the PNAE implementing entities particularly with regard to funds transferred for the acquisition of food products. In this connection, outsourcing is not considered a form of PNAE management. However, it is imperative that the implementing entities comply with the numerical parameter established by CFN Resolution No. 465/2010 [30], as well as be responsible for the management of the Program, and should not delegate such regulatory attributions to outsourced companies. This issue shows that the number of nutritionists actually involved in the PNAE directly or indirectly, may be higher, indicating, at the same time, the precariousness of the links and the transfer of responsibilities inherent to public management.

On the other hand, the state of Piauí presented the highest percentage of adequacy (86%), well above the Brazilian average (Table 4). It is worth noting that the management modality of this state is decentralized, characterized by the transfer of funds to the school units, which are in charge of acquiring food products and offering school meals [56]. However, due to the complexity of the subject, it is necessary to carry out future studies that should investigate the relationship between the forms of management adopted by the states and municipalities and the adequacy or inadequacy of the number of nutritionists, as observed in Tables 2 and 4.

The smaller number of nutritionists in 2024, compared to previous years (Table 1), is possibly due to the launch of the Nutritionist Registration Module in SIGPNAE, in June 2023. It is important to note that the registration and disengagement of nutritionists can occur throughout the course of the year, at any time the professional enters or leaves the implementing entity. The new registration system, proposed as an advance and for greater security and reliability of data, requires the professional to include the Anotação de Responsabilidade Técnica (Technical Responsibility Statement), in the case of the technical manager, and the Declaração de Quadro Técnico (Technical Staff Statement), in the case of the technical staff. Both documents are issued by the Conselhos Regionais de Nutrição (Regional Nutrition Councils), which may be causing a process with greater demands and more steps to complete the registration [57].

In summary, in order to more accurately adapt the PNAE nutritionists’ responsibilities to the realities of the Brazilian states and municipalities, a careful analysis ought to be carried out that encompasses the different contexts of geographic regions, considering, for example, the size and territorial extension, the location of schools (urban or rural), whether indigenous or quilombola schools, and the travel distances to be covered by the professional within the state or municipality. From this perspective, the CFN has made efforts to adapt to current regulations, having updated CFN Resolution No. 465/2010 [30], which dealt with the PNAE nutritionists’ responsibilities, as well as the numerical reference parameters for hiring these professionals. After being implemented for four years, the aforementioned Resolution was revised with the publication of CFN Resolutions No. 788 in September 2024 [58] (which changed the attributions of nutritionists), No. 789 [59] (which changed the number of nutritionists within the state and municipal schools) and No. 790 [60] (which changed the number of nutritionists within federal schools).

The increase in the number of PNAE nutritionists, according to the recommended numerical parameters, in a stable and consolidated manner, will represent a strategic and sustainable advance in strengthening the PNAE as a public policy. This will also contribute to more motivated and valued professionals, aligned with the commitment to provide adequate, quality nutrition to meet the needs of different local realities.