Ultra-processed food consumption and BMI-Z among children at risk for obesity from low-income households

Ultra-processed food consumption and obesity among children and adolescents in China-Findings from China Health and Nutrition Survey

BACKGROUND

Children and adolescents are increasingly exposed to processed food in China, however, its association with obesity has not been investigated.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the consumption of ultra-processed food (UPF) and its association with overweight/obesity among children and adolescents in China.

METHODS

A total of 3437 children and adolescents aged 6-18 years, participating at least twice in the China Nutrition and Health Survey, were included. Food intake was collected using a 3-day 24-h dietary recall method at home visits. Body weight, height and waist circumference (WC) were measured during the survey. UPF was defined by food process levels using NOVA classification. Overweight/obesity was defined by the international age- and sex-specific BMI and WC cut-offs. The association between UPF consumption and overweight/obesity was assessed using mixed effect logistic regression analyses adjusted for socio-demographic, economic, behavioural, dietary and health factors.

RESULTS

The mean daily UPF consumption of the study population (mean age 9.3 years) increased from 9.7 in 1997 to 60.0 grams in 2011. The adjusted odds ratios (OR) (95% CI) for overweight/obesity (using BMI) for UPF consumption of 0, 1-49, 50-99 and ≥ 100 g/day were 1.00, 1.38 (0.98-1.94), 2.01 (1.25-3.24) and 1.53 (0.82-2.86), respectively (p-trend =0.013). Similarly, the corresponding adjusted ORs (95% CI) for central obesity (using WC) were 1.00, 1.84 (1.30-2.60), 2.13 (1.30-3.48) and 2.15 (1.14-4.05) (p-trend<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Higher long-term UPF consumption was associated with an increased risk of overweight/obesity among children and adolescents in China.

Consumption of ultra-processed foods is associated with dietary iron availability, anemia, and excess weight in socially vulnerable children

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Eating habits during childhood have undergone significant changes, with a notable increase in the consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPF). This situation deserves attention, given the close relationship between UPF and adverse health outcomes. This is due to the nutritional composition of UPF, which has high levels of health-critical nutrients such as sugar, fat, and sodium, thus compromising the overall quality of the diet. An excess of these nutrients can increase the risk of developing excess weight, nutritional deficiencies, and chronic diseases during childhood. Among the nutritional deficiencies is iron. This is due to the fact that UPF are not good sources of iron. This, combined with the fact that UPF is low in nutrients that help make iron more available, such as vitamin C, increases the risk of developing anemia. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the availability of iron, as well as the presence of anemia and excess weight in children living in situations of social vulnerability, and to determine their association with the consumption of UPF.

METHODS

This is a population-based cross-sectional study. Children aged between 6 and 59 months living in slums were included. The presence of excess weight was assessed by measuring weight and height, and the presence of anemia was determined by hemoglobin concentration, assessed using the HemoCue portable hemoglobinometer. A 24-h food recall was also used to assess the relative calorie intake of UFP and the dietary availability of iron using an algorithm. All statistical analyses were carried out using the statistical software Jamovi.

RESULTS

In this study, 443 children were included; 19.2 % were classified as with excess weight, and 55.6 % were anemic; the average absorbable iron content was 0.54 (SD ± 0.42) mg, and 39.2 % of the calories consumed came from UPF. The association analysis showed that children with calorie share relative to UPF had a decrease of -0.12 mg of bioavailable iron (β: -0.12; 95 % CI: -0.23; -0.01). It was also possible to identify that the higher calorie share of UPF increased their chances of being classified as with excess weight and anemic by up to 116 % (OR: 2.16; 95 % CI 1.05; 4.46) and 145 % (OR: 2.45; 95 % CI: 1.26; 4.78), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The relationship found between UPF consumption and the availability of iron in the diet, excess weight, and anemia calls for attention, especially in contexts of social vulnerability. These findings demonstrate the need for greater attention to nutrition in childhood to promote an adequate and healthy diet. This can help to change the nutritional and epidemiological panorama of the population, contributing to a better general state of health for future generations of adults.

Association between ultraprocessed food consumption and excess adiposity in children and adolescents: A systematic review

Ultraprocessed foods (UPF) consumption is associated with excess adiposity in adults, but this linkage remains unclear among children and adolescents. The present systematic review sought to address this research gap. Publications up to November 2023 were retrieved from PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases. Outcomes included overweight/obesity anthropometric and body composition indicators; the exposure was UPF consumption based on the NOVA classification system. The review included 23 studies (i.e., 8 cohort and 15 cross-sectional); approximately half were carried out in Brazil. Inconclusive and heterogeneous evidence exists as few cohort studies found positive/mixed associations between UPF consumption and excess adiposity in pediatric populations, whereas most cross-sectional studies reported null associations. Such inconsistencies may be attributed to underlying methodological issues, especially heterogeneity in the outcomes assessed and UPF consumption operationalization and/or categorization. Future studies should adopt longitudinal designs with sufficiently extended follow-up periods, account for relevant confounding factors, employ validated and standardized measurement tools to assess dietary exposure, ensure consistent operationalization of variables, and encompass diverse geographic contexts. Ultimately, strengthening the quality of existing research evidence may better inform current and forthcoming policy and practice interventions aimed at mitigating the increasing prevalence of overweight/obesity in childhood and across the life course.

Relationship between children's eating behavior (1-6 years) and body mass index: a cross-sectional study in French maternal-infant protection centers within the Parisian region

BACKGROUND

Early detection of obesity-promoting dietary behavior patterns improves the identification of at-risk families and the implementation of interventions. This is accomplished through the use of the Child Eating Behavior Questionnaire (CEBQ). No study has been conducted using the CEBQ in children followed in Essonne's Maternal-Infant Protection (PMI) centers. We investigated, in a cross-sectional design, the differences in children's eating behavior with PMI follow-up according to their weight status.

METHODS

A questionnaire addressed to parents was collected in PMI centers. Multiple hierarchical regression analysis was used to investigate the predictability of the child's CEBQ on body mass index (BMI).

RESULTS

From January to April 2022, 850 children were selected, from which 500 (aged 1-6 years) were included, and of whom 10.6% were obese. There was a significant positive association between 'Food Responsiveness', 'Enjoyment of Food' and BMI. In contrast, there was a significant negative association between 'Satiety Responsiveness', 'Slowness in Eating' and BMI. Besides, 'Food approach' and 'food avoidance' behaviors were positively and negatively related to BMI z-scores, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Due to significant differences in children's eating behavior according to their weight, it is needed to raise awareness among parents about their impact on them.

Dietary intake in children and adolescents with food addiction: A systematic review

Food addiction (FA) is characterized by behavioral changes related to the consumption of palatable foods, marked by dependence, impulsivity, and compulsion. Children and adolescents are more vulnerable to FA owing to their significant consumption of ultra-processed foods. This review aims to investigate the differences in dietary intake in pediatric populations with and without FA. We conducted a systematic literature review. PubMed, ScienceDirect, and PsycINFO databases were searched up to July 2023. Potentially eligible studies were independently checked by two researchers. The methodological quality of the included studies was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist for analytical cross-sectional studies. Of the 4868 articles identified, six studies were included. All the included studies had high methodological quality. High consumption of calories and fat was observed in children and adolescents with FA. A diet quality analysis showed that the consumption of ultra-processed foods, such as sugary drinks, sweets, and chips, was related to FA. Given these findings, we concluded that FA in childhood may be associated with higher energy consumption and, consequently, higher intake of macronutrients. Few studies have examined the relationship between FA and food intake in childhood, and more studies are required.

Early introduction of ultra-processed foods is associated with overweight and anaemia in socially vulnerable Brazilian children

This study aimed to evaluate the early introduction of ultra-processed foods (UPF) and identify its association with overweight and anaemia in Brazilian children living in a situation of social vulnerability. A population-based cross-sectional study was conducted in a Brazilian capital. Children aged 12-59 months were included. The presence of overweight and anaemia was evaluated, as well as the introduction of twelve different UPF in children's first year of life. Association analysis was performed using Poisson regression, with robust estimates of variances. A total of 561 children were studied; 85·5 % had consumed at least one UPF evaluated in the first year of life; 19·1 % were overweight and 52·0 % were anaemic. Adjusted multivariate analyses identified that the early introduction of soft drinks (Prevalence Ratio (PR) = 1·18, 95 % CI (1·02, 1·38)), packaged snacks (PR = 1·17, 95 % CI (1·05, 1·30)) and powdered soft drinks (PR = 1·36, 95 % CI (1·16, 1·60)) increased the likelihood of children being overweight, and the early introduction of chocolate drink (PR = 1·25, 95 % CI (1·02, 1·53)) increased the likelihood of them being anaemic, when comparing children who consumed these UPF before reaching 1 year of age with those who consumed these foods at 12 months of age or older. From the results found, one can see the existing relationship between the early introduction of UPF with overweight and anaemia, being necessary to intensify public health policies to combat malnutrition, focusing on the promotion of proper and healthy eating, especially during the phase of food introduction, focusing on the population living in socially vulnerable situations.