Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 23, 2025
Noninvasive Sampling of Mucosal Lining Fluid for the Quantification of In Vivo Upper Airway Immune-mediator Levels
Published on: August 7, 2017
Association between ultraprocessed food intake and C-reactive protein levels in preterm and term infants
Anna Caroline Pereira Vivi1, Talita Rodrigues Azevedo-Silva1, Daniela Neri2
1Graduate student at the Paulista School of Medicine, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Insights
Ultraprocessed food (UPF) consumption is linked to higher C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in infants, indicating potential chronic inflammation. This association holds true regardless of birth status, highlighting the importance of dietary guidance.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Infant Health
- Inflammation Biomarkers
Background:
- Ultraprocessed foods (UPF) are increasingly prevalent in infant diets.
- Chronic inflammation, indicated by C-reactive protein (CRP), is a growing concern in pediatric health.
- Understanding the relationship between UPF intake and inflammatory markers in infants is crucial for public health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between ultraprocessed food (UPF) consumption and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in both term and preterm infants.
- To explore potential differences in UPF intake and CRP levels between preterm and term infants.
- To assess the independent association of UPF consumption with CRP levels and any interaction with preterm birth.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study comparing 43 preterm infants (<34 weeks) with 47 term infants (9-24 months corrected age).
- Dietary intake (UPF as % of total energy, excluding milk), anthropometric measures, and serum CRP levels were collected.
- Statistical analyses examined associations between UPF consumption and CRP levels, including interaction effects.
Main Results:
- Preterm infants consumed UPF less frequently but in greater relative amounts compared to term infants.
- No significant difference in CRP levels was observed between preterm and term infants.
- UPF consumption was independently associated with higher CRP levels (P=0.034), with a significant interaction effect for preterm birth (P=0.049).
Conclusions:
- A positive relationship exists between UPF consumption and CRP levels in infants, suggesting a link to chronic inflammation.
- This association is present irrespective of infant birth status (term vs. preterm).
- Clinical practice can benefit from understanding these food processing-inflammation links for tailored infant dietary guidance.
Objectives:
This study aimed to examine associations between consumption of ultraprocessed food (UPF) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in a sample of term and preterm infants.
Methods:
In this cross-sectional study, 43 preterm infants (<34 wk), chronological age between 9 and 24 mo, were compared with a group of 47 healthy term infants of the same age. Data were collected on dietary intake, anthropometric measures, and serum CRP level (mg/L). The main exposure of interest was the consumption of UPF (excluding all types of milk), measured as the percentage of total energy intake.
Results:
The mean birth weight, gestational age, and corrected age were 1,245 ± 381.7 g, 29.9 ± 2.3 wk, and 14.3 ± 6.4 mo, respectively, in the preterm group. Infants in the preterm group consumed UPF less frequently (27-67.5% versus 40-87.0%; P = 0.038) but in a greater amount relative to total energy intake (39.8% [19.1-59.1%]) versus 29.0% (14.5- 41.9%; P = 0.040) when compared with the term group. There was no statistically significant difference between the preterm and term groups regarding CRP levels. The consumption of UPF (percentage of energy intake) was independently associated with CRP levels (β = 0.007; 95% CI, 0.001-0.014; P = 0.034). A significant interaction between being born preterm and UPF consumption was found for CRP levels (P = 0.049). Breast-feeding was not associated with lower consumption of UPF in both groups (24-75.0% versus 43-79.6%; P = 0.404).
Conclusions:
There is a positive relationship between UPF and CRP levels among infants, irrespective of excess weight. At the clinical practice level, a better comprehension of the associations between food processing and chronic inflammation may aid in individual dietary guidance.
