Unhealthy Diets, Unhealthy Futures: How Modern Eating Patterns Endanger Maternal and Offspring Health

Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are increasingly prevalent in global diets and have been consistently associated with adverse health outcomes. Their consumption during sensitive life stages, such as pregnancy and early childhood, raises significant public health concerns due to potential intergenerational effects. This narrative review critically examines the impact of UPF consumption during pregnancy and early life, with a focus on maternal and child health outcomes, including alterations in gut microbiota composition. Accumulating evidence indicates that UPF consumption is linked to increased risks of obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and all-cause mortality. During pregnancy, high UPF intake is associated with poorer diet quality, excessive gestational weight gain, increased inflammation, and unfavorable neonatal outcomes, including altered microbiota transmission and impaired neurodevelopment. In early childhood, UPFs were linked to microbiota dysbiosis, obesity, micronutrient deficiencies, and allergic conditions. Notably, maternal dietary pattern strongly influences the early and sustained incorporation of UPFs into children's diets. Overall, UPF consumption during pregnancy and early childhood represents a modifiable risk factor with far-reaching health implications. A deeper understanding of the dietary-microbiome-health axis is essential for developing effective nutritional strategies to optimize maternal and child health outcomes and reduce long-term disease risks.