Prevalence of processed and ultra-processed food intake in Brazilian children (6–24 months) is associated with maternal consumption and breastfeeding practices

Abstract

The aim of this study is to identify maternal consumption of processed and ultra-processed foods and to verify the factors associated with the supply of these foods to Brazilian children. This is a cross-sectional study with 231 mothers and children aged from 6 to 24 months. The mother’s and children's food consumption was measured using three 24-hour recalls. The foods consumed were categorised according to the NOVA classification. The data were analysed by multinomial logistic regression. The supply of processed and ultra-processed foods to children was associated with the child’s age (T2: OR = 1.17, p<.001; T3: OR = 1.23, p<.001), the absence of breast milk consumption (T3: OR = 3.82, p=.006) and the greater consumption of these foods by mothers (T2: OR = 3.15, p=.018; T3: OR = 4.59, p=.004). We conclude that mothers who consume processed and ultra-processed foods also include them in complementary feeding, and the consumption of these foods by the child increases with age, absence of breastfeeding, and with increased maternal consumption.

Keywords:

• Child nutrition
• breastfeeding
• maternal nutrition
• food consumption
• ultra-processed foods

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior – Brasil (CAPES) [Grant Numbers 001].