Ultra-processed food consumption and its correlates among Italian children, adolescents and adults from the Italian Nutrition & Health Survey (INHES) cohort study

• Published in: Public health nutrition Vol. 24; no. 18; pp. 6258 - 6271
• Main Authors: Ruggiero, Emilia, Esposito, Simona, Costanzo, Simona, Di Castelnuovo, Augusto, Cerletti, Chiara, Donati, Maria Benedetta, de Gaetano, Giovanni, Iacoviello, Licia, Bonaccio, Marialaura
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.12.2021
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adolescents; Adult; Adults; Aged; Child; Children; Cohort analysis; Cohort Studies; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diet; Diet, Mediterranean; Energy; Energy intake; Fast Foods; Female; Food; Food consumption; Food Handling; Food intake; Food processing; Health Surveys; Humans; Interviews; Male; Meals; Metabolism; Nutrition; Nutrition research; Nutritional Epidemiology; Polls & surveys; Population; Processed foods; Recipes; Research Paper; Software; Teenagers; Women; Italy; Mediterranean Area; Ultra-processed food; General population; Psychosocial factors; Socio-economic factors
• ISSN: 1368-9800; 1475-2727
• DOI: 10.1017/S1368980021002767

To assess ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption and its socio-demographic, psychosocial and behavioural correlates in a general population of Italian children, adolescents and adults. Cross-sectional telephone-based survey. Italy, 2010-2013. In total, 9078 participants (5-97 years) from the Italian Nutrition & Health Survey. Dietary intakes were collected by a 1-d 24-h dietary recall. UPF was defined by the NOVA classification and expressed as percentage of total energies. Average energy intake from UPF (95 % CI) was 17·3 % (17·1 %, 17·6 %) among adults and 25·9 % (24·8 %, 27·0 %) in children/adolescents. Top sources of UPF were processed meats (32·5 %) and bread substitutes (16·7 %). Among adults, age (β = -3·10; 95 % CI (-4·40, -1·80) for >65 years v. 20-40 years; βs are dimensionless) and residing in Southern Italy (β = -0·73; 95 % CI (-1·32, -0·14) v. Northern) inversely associated with UPF. Screen view during meals was directly linked to UPF, as well as poor self-rated health (β = 5·32; 95 % CI (2·66, 7·99)), adverse life events (β = 2·33; 95 % CI (1·48, 3·18)) and low sleep quality (β = 2·34; 95 % CI (1·45, 3·23)). Boys consumed two-point percent more UPF of the total energy than girls (β = 2·01; 95 % CI (0·20, 3·82)). For all ages, a Mediterranean diet was inversely associated with UPF (β = -4·86; 95 % CI (-5·53, -4·20) for good v. poor adherence in adults and (β = -5·08; 95 % CI (-8·38, -1·77) for kids). UPF contributes a modest proportion of energy to the diets of Italian adults while being one-quarter of the total energies in children/adolescents. UPF was associated with several psychosocial factors and eating behaviours. Increased adherence to Mediterranean diet would possibly result in lower UPF consumption.