Oliveira, Guilherme Resende2026-03-302026-03-302026ALENCAR, Jackeline Miguel. Nutrição e educação: avaliando o impacto da merenda escolar no desenvolvimento cognitivo dos alunos e no crescimento econômico regional à luz dos objetivos de desenvolvimento sustentável. Goiânia (GO), 2026. 68 f. Dissertação (Mestrado Profissional em Desenvolvimento Regional) - Centro Universitário Alves Faria, 2026.http://repositorio.unialfa.com.br/handle/123456789/754The research aimed to understand how the nutritional quality of school meals influences students’ development and contributes to regional socioeconomic growth, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The main objective was to analyze how the nutritional quality of school meals impacts students’ cognitive and physical development and contributes to regional economic development, considering the SDGs. The study used a qualitative approach through bibliographic research and a questionnaire applied to the school community, totaling 182 participants, mostly students. The data were presented in graphs and discussed based on theoretical references. The results showed that school meals directly influence students’ cognitive performance and concentration, being recognized as essential to learning and school attendance. However, there was low awareness among participants regarding the origin of the food, existing nutrition programs, and the appreciation of regional foods, indicating weaknesses in communication and the implementation of public school feeding policies. It was also observed that educational and sustainabilityrelated activities were rarely promoted. The study concluded that school meals, although valued for their nutritional and pedagogical role, still lack greater integration among health, education, and sustainable regional development. It is recommended to expand educational initiatives and conduct further studies in different educational contexts.ptQualidade nutricionalMerenda escolarDesenvolvimento cognitivoObjetivos de Desenvolvimento Sustentável (ODS)