REDES URBANAS, ABASTECIMENTO E O CAFÉ DA MANHÃ DE IDOSAS NA CIDADE DE TEFÉ, AMAZONAS: ELEMENTOS PARA A ANÁLISE DA GEOGRAFIA DA ALIMENTAÇÃO NO BRASIL.

The Amazon and Amazonas state in particular, can be considered one of the last frontiers of the transition process of alimentary habits. The replacement of the traditional diet for a * supermarket diet* is striking in all regions of the Amazon. In order to analyze the relationship between the transition alimentary habits, health, aging and urban network in the Amazon this article outlines a case study in the city of Tefe, Amazonas State, Brazil. Tefé is characterized as a hub city by IBGE and of territorial responsibility by NEBECAB, which means the city organizes a micro - urban network. It is hypothesized that the shape of the urban network and the relationship of rural production surrounding the cities are key elements to understand the geography of food in the Amazon. Another hypothesis is related to social development policies which resulted in a monetization of economic dynamics. With the universal retirement intensified the transition of the alimentary habits, hence the importance of analyzing how this transition occurs among the elderly , especially women who are traditionally responsible for cooking is important to understand the geography of food in the region. We used data from field research conducted in May 2012 and April 2013, derived from forms that aimed to understand the socio-economic conditions of the elderly and their housing. Data analysis identified that the meal which shows more clearly the transition to the *supermarket diet * is the breakfast and that access to retirement pension makes it possible to buy supermarket products . When comparing the results it can be highlighted that the population of lower income have less or no access to fruits and breakfast is less varied, showing the social and economic injustice implicity in the changes in eating habits, unfortunately common scenario for small cities in the state Amazonas, Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]