Consumption of ultra-processed foods and its association with the incidence of inflammatory bowel diseases in the NutriNet Brasil Cohort

• Grant number: 23/18328-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: July 01, 2024
• End date: June 30, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Nutrition - Nutritional Analysis of Population
• Principal Investigator: Carlos Augusto Monteiro
• Grantee: Giovanna Calixto Andrade
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Saúde Pública (FSP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 22/05636-0 - Program of population studies on the consumption of ultraprocessed foods and health, AP.TEM

Abstract

Ultra-processed foods (UPF), refer to industrial formulations of food substances and additives with little or no whole food content. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of prospective studies conducted across various countries indicate that the consumption of UPF is associated with the risk of several chronic diseases, including inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). In Brazil, prospective studies have demonstrated associations between UPF consumption and health outcomes such as obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and depression; however, there is currently a lack of studies examining the relationship between UPF consumption and IBD. Therefore, the objective of this project is to prospectively assess the association between UPF consumption and the incidence of IBD in Brazil. Data from the NutriNet Brazil cohort, integrated into the NUPENS/USP FAPESP thematic project will be used for this purpose. Participant recruitment for the cohort has been ongoing since January 2020 through invitations disseminated by mass media, social media influencers, the cohort itself, and posters displayed in public health units of the Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS). Information on participants' lifestyle, health status, and dietary habits is collected through a digital platform using self-administered electronic questionnaires. UPF consumption is assessed through 24-hour dietary recalls designed and validated to identify food consumption according to NOVA classification criteria (Nova24h). Health status questionnaires allow the identification of prevalent cases and incident cases of three IBD modalities: irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), ulcerative colitis (UC), and Crohn's disease (CD). IBS is identified by the Rome III symptom scale, while UC and CD are identified by self-reporting of a medical diagnosis of these conditions. The association between UPF consumption and the incidence of IBS, UC, and CD will be assessed through multivariate Cox proportional hazards models adjusted for potential confounding variables.