Nutritional profile of ultra-processed foods consumed by children in Rio de Janeiro

Authors

  • Carine de Oliveira Avelar Anastácio Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro. Instituto de Nutrição. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Alimentação, Nutrição e Saúde. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5257-571X
  • Juliana Martins Oliveira Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro. Instituto de Nutrição. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Alimentação, Nutrição e Saúde. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9556-767X
  • Milena Miranda de Moraes Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro. Instituto de Nutrição. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Alimentação, Nutrição e Saúde. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2652-4051
  • Jorginete de Jesus Damião Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro. Instituto de Nutrição. Departamento de Nutrição Social. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6591-3474
  • Inês Rugani Ribeiro de Castro Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro. Instituto de Nutrição. Departamento de Nutrição Social. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7479-4400

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.11606/s1518-8787.2020054001752

Keywords:

Child, Food Consuption, Industrialized Foods, Food Labeling, Nutritional Value

Abstract


OBJECTIVE: To analyze the nutritional composition of ultra-processed foods consumed by
children that attend basic health units.
METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study with a representative probabilistic sample of
536 children aged between 6 and 59 months treated at a health unit in the city of Rio de Janeiro.
Nutritional information was extracted from labels of the ultra-processed foods referred to in a
24-hour recall. The 351 foods mentioned were divided into 22 groups and 38 subgroups according
to the type of product, and they were characterized according to the averages of the values for
energy, total fats, saturated fats, trans fats and sodium in 100 grams of the product, in addition
to presence, number, and type of “other sweeteners”. The nutritional Profile Model of the Pan
American Health Organization was applied for each food and for the average of nutrient content
obtained for each group to examine the occurrence of critical nutrients excess.
RESULTS: Ultra-processed foods contained high energy value and high levels of total fats,
saturated fats, trans fats, and sodium. Out of the total of ultra-processed foods, 66% presented
excess of at least one critical nutrient, with emphasis on requeijões and ultra-processed cheeses,
instant noodles, and industrialized and sausage-like meats, which presented 100% of foods with
excess of total fats, saturated fats and sodium. Out of the 21 groups, the following exceeded the
limit established by the Pan American Health Organization: for total fats, 10 groups; for saturated
fats, 11; for trans fats, 3; and sodium, 13. Requeijões and ultra-processed cheeses; industrialized
and sausage-like meats; and biscuits exceeded this limit in all parameters. Out of the set of
ultra-processed foods analyzed, 13.4% contained “other sweeteners” (eight different types).
CONCLUSIONS: The ultra-processed foods analyzed presented unbalanced nutritional
profile, and two thirds presented excess of at least one critical nutrient. Educational actions
and regulatory measures are necessary to better inform the population and to discourage its
consumption.

References

Monteiro CA, Cannon G, Levy R, Moubarac JC, Jaime P, Martins AP, et al. NOVA. The star shines bright. World Nutr. 2016;7(1-3):28-38.

Louzada MLC, Martins APB, Canella DS, Baraldi LG, Levy RB, Claro RM, et al. Impact of ultra-processed foods on micronutrient content in the Brazilian diet. Rev Saude Publica. 2015;49:45. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0034-8910.2015049006211

Monteiro CA, Moubarac JC, Cannon G, Ng SW, Popkin B. Ultra-processed products are becoming dominant in the global food system. Obes Rev. 2013;14 Suppl 2:21-8. https://doi.org/10.1111/obr.12107

Karnopp EVN, Vaz JS, Schafer AA, Muniz LC, Souza RLV, Santos I, et al. Consumo alimentar de crianças menores de seis anos conforme o grau de processamento. J Pediatr (Rio J). 2017;93(1):70–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jped.2016.04.007

Martins APB, Levy RB, Claro RM, Moubarac JC, Monteiro CA. Increased contribution of ultra-processed food products in the Brazilian diet (1987-2009). Rev Saude Publica. 2013;47(4):656-65. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0034-8910.2013047004968

Monteiro CA, Cannon G, Lawrence M, Louzada MLC, Machado PP. Ultra-processed foods, diet quality, and health using the NOVA classification system. Rome: FAO; 2019.

Pan American Health Organization. PAHO nutrient profile model. Washington; DC; 2016.

Giménez A, Saldamando L, Curutchet MR, Ares G. Package design and nutritional profile of foods targeted at children in supermarkets in Montevideo, Uruguay. Cad Saude Publica. 2017;33(5):e00032116. https://doi.org/10.1590/0102-311x00032116

Rodrigues VM. Informação nutricional complementar em rótulos de alimentos industrializados direcionados a crianças [tese]. Florianópolis: Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina; 2016.

Carneiro LBV. Associação entre insegurança alimentar e deficiências de micronutrientes em crianças assistidas pelo SUS no município do Rio de Janeiro [dissertação]. Rio de Janeiro: Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública Sergio Arouca, Fiocruz; 2015.

Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística. Pesquisa de Orçamentos Familiares 2008-2009. Tabelas de composição nutricional dos alimentos consumidos no Brasil. Rio de Janeiro: IBGE; 2011.

Dossiê edulcorantes. Food Ingredients Brasil. 2013 [citado 17 Abr 2020];24:28-52. Disponível em: https://revista-fi.com.br/upload_arquivos/201606/2016060388823001464965762.pdf

Adoçantes calóricos e não calóricos parte II. Food Ingredients Brasil. 2010 [citado 17 Abr 2020];15:22-35. Disponível em: https://revista-fi.com.br/upload_arquivos/201606/2016060795235001465320397.pdf

Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária. Resolução da Diretoria Colegiada- RDC N° 360, de 23 de dezembro de 2003. Brasília, DF: ANVISA; 2003.

Louzada MLC, Martins APB, Canella DS, Baraldi LG, Levy RB, Claro RM, et al. Ultra-processed foods and the nutritional dietary profile in Brazil. Rev Saude Publica. 2015;49:38. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0034-8910.2015049006132

Luiten CM, Steenhuis IHM, Eyles H, Mhurchu CN, Waterlander WE. Ultra-processed foods have the worst nutrient profile, yet they are the most available packaged products in a sample of New Zealand supermarkets. Public Health Nutr. 2014;19(3):530-8. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1368980015002177

Dunford E, Louie JCY, Byrne R, Walker KZ, Flood VM. The nutritional profile of baby and toddler food products sold in Australian supermarkets. Matern Child Health J. 2015;19(12):2598-604. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-015-1778-y

Elliott C. Assessing “fun foods”: nutritional content and analysis of supermarket foods targeted at children. Obes Rev. 2008;9(4):368-77. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-789X.2007.00418.x

Lythgoe A, Roberts C, Madden AM, Rennie KL. Marketing foods to children: a comparison of nutrient content between children’s and non-children’s products. Public Health Nutr. 2013;16(12):2221-30. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1368980013000943

Mehta K, Phillips C, Ward P, Coveney J, Handsley E, Carter P. Marketing foods to children through product packaging: prolific, unhealthy and misleading. Public Health Nutr. 2012;15(9):1763-70. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1368980012001231

Machado ML. Comparação entre a composição nutricional e a informação nutricional complementar de alimentos industrializados direcionados e não direcionados a crianças [dissertação]. Florianópolis: Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina; 2014.

Allemandi L, Castronuovo L, Tiscornia MV, Ponce M, Schoj V. Food advertising on Argentinean television: are ultra-processed foods in the lead? Public Health Nutr. 2018;21(1):238-46. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1368980017001446

Elliott C, Scime N. Nutrient profiling and child-targeted supermarket foods: assessing a “Made in Canada” policy approach. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019;16(4):639. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16040639

Swithers SE. Artificial sweeteners are not the answer to childhood obesity. Appetite. 2015;93:85-90. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2015.03.027

Reid AE, Chauhan BF, Rabbani R, Lys J, Copstein L, Mann A, et al. Early exposure to nonnutritive sweeteners and long-term metabolic health: a systematic review. Pediatrics. 2016;137(3):e20153603. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2015-3603

Verly-Jr E, Oliveira DCRS, Fisberg RM, Marchioni DML. Performance of statistical methods to correct food intake distribution: comparison between observed and estimated usual intake. Br J Nutr. 2016;116(5):897-903. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007114516002725

Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária, Gerência Geral de Alimentos. Relatório preliminar de análise de impacto regulatório sobre rotulagem nutricional. Brasília, DF: ANVISA; 2018.

Published

2020-09-04

Issue

Section

Original Articles

How to Cite

Nutritional profile of ultra-processed foods consumed by children in Rio de Janeiro. (2020). Revista De Saúde Pública, 54, 89. https://doi.org/10.11606/s1518-8787.2020054001752