Household availability of ultra-processed foods and obesity in nineteen European countries

Autor(es)

Monteiro, Carlos Augusto ; Moubarac, Jean-Claude ; Levy, Renata Bertazzi ; Canella, Daniela Silva ; da Costa Louzada, Maria Laura ; Cannon, Geoffrey

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: PUBLIC HEALTH NUTRITION; v. 21, n. 1, p. 9-pg., 2018-01-01.

Resumo

Objective To assess household availability of NOVA food groups in nineteen European countries and to analyse the association between availability of ultra-processed foods and prevalence of obesity. Design Ecological, cross-sectional study. Setting Europe. Subjects Estimates of ultra-processed foods calculated from national household budget surveys conducted between 1991 and 2008. Estimates of obesity prevalence obtained from national surveys undertaken near the budget survey time. Results Across the nineteen countries, median average household availability amounted to 339 % of total purchased dietary energy for unprocessed or minimally processed foods, 203 % for processed culinary ingredients, 196 % for processed foods and 264 % for ultra-processed foods. The average household availability of ultra-processed foods ranged from 102 % in Portugal and 134 % in Italy to 462 % in Germany and 504 % in the UK. A significant positive association was found between national household availability of ultra-processed foods and national prevalence of obesity among adults. After adjustment for national income, prevalence of physical inactivity, prevalence of smoking, measured or self-reported prevalence of obesity, and time lag between estimates on household food availability and obesity, each percentage point increase in the household availability of ultra-processed foods resulted in an increase of 025 percentage points in obesity prevalence. Conclusions The study contributes to a growing literature showing that the consumption of ultra-processed foods is associated with an increased risk of diet-related non-communicable diseases. Its findings reinforce the need for public policies and actions that promote consumption of unprocessed or minimally processed foods and make ultra-processed foods less available and affordable. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 15/14900-9 - Consumo de alimentos ultraprocessados, perfil nutricional da dieta e obesidade em sete países
• Beneficiário: Carlos Augusto Monteiro
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Temático