Guilherme José Silva Ribeiro1, André de Araújo Pinto2. 1. Health Sciences Research Center, University of Santa Catarina State, Brazil. 2. Health Sciences Research Center, University of Santa Catarina State, Brazil. Electronic address: andrefsaude@hotmail.com.
Abstract
PURPOSE: Childhood obesity has become a concern for the Brazilian Unified Health System, which has recently started to investigate children's eating habits in basic health units. This study examined the trends and ultra-processed foods (UPF) consumption in Brazilian children. DESIGN AND METHODS: This repeated cross-sectional study included 492,630 children (2-9 years old), from different Brazilian regions, in the years 2015 and 2019. The children's food consumption was assessed by nurses using a nationally standardized instrument. Information was provided by the Food and Nutrition Surveillance System Brazilian. RESULTS: The UPF consumption in Brazilian children is generally high and was higher among children in the South and Midwest regions. The consumption of sweetened beverages was more prevalent among all the UPF assessed and continues to increase among children in the Northeast region. Declining trends in UPF consumption were observed in children from all regions, except for the Northeast region, whose trends increased in almost all evaluated foods. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Nurses, especially, have a primary role in guiding the reduction of UPF consumption, as they are the first health professionals to have access to this information. Increasing trends in UPF consumption can be mitigated by the inclusion of nutritionists in basic health units. Brazilian children need to be assisted by public policies that promote food education.
PURPOSE: Childhood obesity has become a concern for the Brazilian Unified Health System, which has recently started to investigate children's eating habits in basic health units. This study examined the trends and ultra-processed foods (UPF) consumption in Brazilian children. DESIGN AND METHODS: This repeated cross-sectional study included 492,630 children (2-9 years old), from different Brazilian regions, in the years 2015 and 2019. The children's food consumption was assessed by nurses using a nationally standardized instrument. Information was provided by the Food and Nutrition Surveillance System Brazilian. RESULTS: The UPF consumption in Brazilian children is generally high and was higher among children in the South and Midwest regions. The consumption of sweetened beverages was more prevalent among all the UPF assessed and continues to increase among children in the Northeast region. Declining trends in UPF consumption were observed in children from all regions, except for the Northeast region, whose trends increased in almost all evaluated foods. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Nurses, especially, have a primary role in guiding the reduction of UPF consumption, as they are the first health professionals to have access to this information. Increasing trends in UPF consumption can be mitigated by the inclusion of nutritionists in basic health units. Brazilian children need to be assisted by public policies that promote food education.
Authors: Eva Débora de Oliveira Andrade; Amanda de Sousa Rebouças; José Q Filho; Ramya Ambikapathi; Laura E Caulfield; Aldo Ângelo Moreira Lima; Bruna Leal Lima Maciel Journal: Matern Child Nutr Date: 2022-08-15 Impact factor: 3.660