Ultraprocessed food consumption and factors associated with a sample of public school bases in the South of Brazil.

Abstract

This study aims to evaluate the consumption of ultraprocessed foods and its association with sociodemographic, behavioral and nutritional factors in schoolchildren from public schools in Caxias do Sul-RS. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 1,309 students aged 6-16 years. The consumption of ultraprocessed foods was obtained by means of a questionnaire according to the self-report of the student. A pre-tested questionnaire was used to evaluate the characteristics of the students. A Poisson regression analysis was performed following a statistical hierarchical modeling to determine factors associated with outcome. Results with p value ≤ 0.05 were considered statistically significant. A high prevalence of ultraprocessed food consumption was identified (69.7%) among schoolchildren. After adjusted analysis, higher prevalence of ultraprocessed food consumption was associated with buying/taking snacks to school and snacking. Nutritional counseling was also associated with protection against the consumption of these foods. Nutrition education actions are necessary for schoolchildren and caregivers in order to reduce the consumption of ultraprocessed foods by schoolchildren, especially in snacks.