Impact of the use of food ingredients and additives on the estimation of ultra-processed foods and beverages.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Increasing consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPF), defined by the NOVA classification, has been associated with obesity and other health outcomes. However, some authors have criticized the UPF definition because it is somewhat subjective. Most studies identify UPF using food descriptions; nevertheless, NOVA developers described a list of ingredients, including substances not commonly used for cooking and "cosmetic additives" that could be used to identify UPF. Assessing the impact of the use of different UPF definitions is particularly relevant with respect to children's diet, because several dietary policies target this age group. Thus, our study compared the frequency of UPF among foods and beverages and their share in the diet of Chilean preschoolers using three

SUBMITTER: Zancheta Ricardo C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9872514 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature