International Center for the Assessment of Nutritional Status (ICANS), Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences (DeFENS), University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
Division of Nutritional Rehabilitation, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Piancavallo, Italy.
Eur J Nutr. 2022 Aug;61(5):2297-2311. doi: 10.1007/s00394-022-02873-4. Epub 2022 Mar 24.
According to the NOVA classification, ultra-processed foods are products made through physical, biological and chemical processes and typically with multiple ingredients and additives, in which whole foods are mostly or entirely absent. From a nutritional point of view, they are typically energy-dense foods high in fat, sugar, and salt and low in fiber. The association between the consumption of ultra-processed food and obesity and adiposity measurements has been established in adults. However, the situation remains unclear in children and adolescents.
We carried out a systematic review, in which we summarize observational studies investigating the association between the consumption of ultra-processed food, as defined by NOVA classification, and obesity and adiposity parameters among children and adolescents. A literature search was performed using PUBMED and Web of Science databases for relevant articles published prior to May 2021.
Ten studies, five longitudinal and five cross-sectional, mainly conducted in Brazil, were included in this review. Four longitudinal studies in children with a follow-up longer than 4 years found a positive association between the consumption of ultra-processed food and obesity and adiposity parameters, whereas cross-sectional studies failed to find an association.
These data suggest that a consistent intake of ultra-processed foods over time is needed to impact nutritional status and body composition of children and adolescents. Further well-designed prospective studies worldwide are needed to confirm these findings considering country-related differences in dietary habits and food production technologies.
根据 NOVA 分类，超加工食品是通过物理、生物和化学过程制成的产品，通常含有多种成分和添加剂，其中大部分或完全没有完整的食物。从营养角度来看，它们通常是高脂肪、高糖和高盐、低纤维的能量密集型食品。超加工食品的消费与肥胖和肥胖测量之间的关联已在成年人中得到证实。然而，在儿童和青少年中，情况仍不清楚。
我们进行了系统评价，总结了观察性研究，这些研究调查了根据 NOVA 分类定义的超加工食品消费与儿童和青少年肥胖和肥胖参数之间的关联。使用 PUBMED 和 Web of Science 数据库对截至 2021 年 5 月发表的相关文章进行了文献检索。
本综述纳入了 10 项研究，其中 5 项为纵向研究，5 项为横断面研究，主要在巴西进行。四项针对儿童的纵向研究随访时间超过 4 年，发现超加工食品的消费与肥胖和肥胖参数之间存在正相关，而横断面研究未能发现相关性。
这些数据表明，需要持续摄入超加工食品才能影响儿童和青少年的营养状况和身体成分。需要在全球范围内开展更多设计良好的前瞻性研究，以考虑到饮食习惯和食品生产技术方面的国家差异，证实这些发现。
