The food trade and its association with the consumption of ultra-processed foods by adults participating in the NutriNet Brasil Study

• Grant number: 22/01883-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: September 01, 2022
• End date: April 30, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Collective Health - Public Health
• Principal Investigator: Renata Bertazzi Levy
• Grantee: Laura Luciano Scaciota
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Saúde Pública (FSP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

This study aims to verify associations between characteristics of the community food environment and the consumption of ultra-processed foods by NutriNet Brasil participants. In this cross-sectional study, participants residing in municipalities with more than 50 thousand inhabitants, enrolled in NutriNet Brasil until March 2021, who have informed the valid CEP and at least one 24-hour recall and a simplified questionnaire until December 2021 will be selected. The quality of the diet will be evaluated by markers of consumption of ultra-processed foods. Data from food outlets will be obtained from the Annual Social Information List (RAIS) for 2020 and 2021, provided by the Ministry of Labor. Food stores will be categorized according to the extent and purpose of processing the food (establishments with priority sale of fresh and minimally processed foods, establishments with priority sale of ultra-processed and mixed sales establishments). The community food environment in the census sector where the participant lives will be described, according to the density of the three food trade groups. Regression models will be made in which the density of establishments with priority sale of ultra-processed foods will be the exposure, while the outcomes will be the consumption score of ultra-processed foods and the percentage of participation of ultra-processed foods in the diet. Adjustments will be made for possible individual (income, education, sex, age) and environmental (location, HDU) confounding variables. The Stata 14 software will be used to perform the analyses. It is expected that it will be possible to evaluate the influence of characteristics of the food environment on the quality of the diet, specifically on the consumption of ultra-processed foods and to contribute to the discussion on interventions in the environment to promote adequate and healthy eating.