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Eating context and its association with ultra-processed food consumption by British children

Bianca M Onita1, Catarina M Azeredo2, Patrícia C Jaime3

  • 1Departamento de Nutrição, Faculdade de Saúde Pública, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Dr. Arnaldo 715, 01246-904, São Paulo, Brazil.

Appetite
|October 19, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Eating contexts like watching TV, eating away from home, or eating alone are linked to higher ultra-processed food intake in British children. Conversely, eating with friends at school correlated with lower consumption.

Area of Science:

  • Nutritional Epidemiology
  • Public Health Nutrition
  • Childhood Obesity Research

Background:

  • Ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption is a growing public health concern globally.
  • Understanding the environmental and social factors influencing children's dietary choices is crucial for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between various eating contexts and ultra-processed food consumption in British children aged 4-10 years.
  • To identify specific mealtime environments linked to increased or decreased UPF intake.

Main Methods:

  • Cross-sectional study utilizing data from the UK's National Diet and Nutrition Survey (2008/2014).
  • A representative sample of 1772 children (4-10 years) provided four-day food diaries.
  • Exploratory factor analysis identified eating context patterns; linear regression assessed UPF association.

Main Results:

  • Ultra-processed foods constituted 65.4% of total daily energy intake.
  • Eating with family while watching TV and eating away from home were associated with higher UPF consumption at lunch and dinner.
  • Eating alone in the bedroom was also linked to increased UPF intake at dinner.
  • Eating at school with friends showed an association with lower UPF consumption.

Conclusions:

  • Specific eating contexts, including eating alone, watching TV, and eating away from home, are significantly associated with higher ultra-processed food intake in children.
  • School-based meal environments may offer a protective factor against high UPF consumption.
  • Findings highlight the importance of considering the eating environment in strategies to reduce UPF consumption among children.

Keywords:
ChildrenDietEating occasionUltra-processed foodsUnited Kingdom

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