Objective: To investigate the association between ultra-processed food consumption at 23–25 years of age and measurements of body composition–fat mass, fat mass distribution and lean mass at 37–39 years of age in Brazilian adults.Methods: 1978/1979 birth cohort study conducted with healthy adults from Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil. A total of 1,021 individuals participated in the fat mass analysis (measured by air displacement plethysmography) and 815 in the lean mass analysis and fat mass distribution (assessed by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry). Food consumption was evaluated by a food frequency questionnaire. Food items were grouped according to the level of processing as per the NOVA classification. Ultra-processed food consumption was expressed as a percentage of total daily intake (g/day). Linear regression models were used to estimate the effect of ultra-processed food consumption (g/day) on body mass index, body fat percentage, fat mass index, android fat, gynoid fat, android-gynoid fat ratio, lean mass percentage, lean mass index and appendicular lean mass index. Marginal plots were produced to visualize interactions.Results: The mean daily ultra-processed food consumption in grams was 35.8% (813.3 g). There was an association between ultra-processed food consumption and increase in body mass index, body fat percentage, fat mass index, android fat and gynoid fat and decrease in lean mass percentage, only in women.Conclusion: A high ultra-processed food consumption is associated with a long-term increase in fat mass and a decrease in lean mass in adult women.

Longitudinal studies evaluating the relationship between UPF consumption and the incidence of Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) and its components are still scarce. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of UPF consumption on the incidence of MetS and its components in adults. A prospective study was conducted with 896 participants from the 1978/79 Ribeirão Preto cohort, São Paulo, Brazil. UPF consumption was evaluated in %kcal and %g at ages 23–25 years. Incidence of MetS and its components were estimated at ages 37–39 years, according to the Joint Interim Statement criteria. Poisson regression was used to assess associations, and interactions with sex were investigated. UPF consumption had no association with MetS (%kcal Adjusted PR: 1.00; 95% CI: 0.99–1.01; %g Adjusted PR: 1.00; 95% CI: 0.99–1.01). However, women with higher UPF consumption, in %kcal and %g, had a higher risk of abdominal obesity (%kcal: p = 0.030; %g: p = 0.003); and women with higher UPF consumption, in %g, had a higher risk of low HDL-cholesterol (p = 0.041). For the other components of MetS, no significant associations were observed in either sex. These findings suggest evidence of no association between UPF consumption and MetS; however, consumption of UPF was associated with increased WC and low HDL-c, but only in women.

Background: Ultra-processed Food (UPF) consumption can play a role in the pathogenesis and progression of asthma. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between the consumption of UPF and asthma. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 1857 adults aged 23–25 years from the Ribeirão Preto-SP birth cohort (1978/1979). The exposure variable was the consumption of UPF (expressed as their percentage contribution to energy intake—% total caloric value [%TCV] and their percentage contribution to the amount of food ingested—%grams), which was assessed with a food frequency questionnaire. Asthma was the outcome and was defined based on a positive methacholine challenge test and the presence of wheezing, chest tightness, or shortness of breath over the last 12 months. Poisson regression with robust variance was used to estimate the association between these variables. Unadjusted analyses and analyses adjusted for sex, age, household income, smoking, and physical activity level were performed. Results: The prevalence of asthma in the sample was 13.2%. The mean total consumption of UPF was 37.9 ± 11.2% TCV (corresponding to 35.1 ± 15.1% grams). There was no association between the consumption of UPF and asthma in adults. Conclusion: This study provides no evidence for an association between the consumption of UPF and asthma in young adults.

Resumo Introdução A pandemia do novo coronavírus intensificou a violação do direito humano à alimentação e nutrição adequadas e elevou a insegurança alimentar e nutricional na população brasileira. Objetivo Analisar as estratégias das políticas e programas de segurança alimentar e nutricional adotadas pelo governo brasileiro durante a pandemia (ano de 2020) para promoção da segurança alimentar e nutricional e combate à insegurança alimentar e nutricional no país. Método Realizou-se busca nos sites oficiais para análise das ações propostas. Resultados Apesar de algumas proposições pontuais, como a distribuição do auxílio emergencial, estratégias mais enérgicas, como o fortalecimento do Programa de Aquisição de Alimentos, encorajamento de pequenos agricultores, facilitação do transporte e da comercialização de alimentos e a garantia da continuidade de programas assistenciais que facilitem acesso à renda e à alimentação durante a pandemia, precisam ser urgentemente adotadas. Conclusão Essas estratégias requerem atuação das três esferas de governo em prol do combate dos impactos da pandemia do novo coronavírus nos índices de insegurança alimentar e nutricional no Brasil.

Objectives: to verify the agreement among adolescents’ perception of their own body image and the health professionals’ analysis based on three-dimensional body image and the inter-rater agreement. Methods: a cross-sectional study was carried out with 1,662 adolescents, aged 18 to 19 years old, from the 1997/98 birth cohort in São Luís, Maranhão. Self-perception of body image was assessed using the Stunkard’s body image scale. Three nutritionists evaluated the three-dimensional body image obtained by the Photonic Scanner (3D Body Scanner) and classified according to the Stunkard’s scale. The agreement between raters was verified by using weighted Kappa. Results: the analysis of agreement between raters in the general group and when stratified by sexwas considered moderate to good by Kappa. Regarding the intraclass correlation (ICC), good and excellent correlation values were observed both in the general group, males and females. There was a greater perception of overweight by all raters, when compared with the adolescents’ self-assessments. When stratified by sex, examiner 1 had the same perception as male self-assessments, as for females the perception of overweight was more frequent, as well as raters 2 and 3, for both sexes. Conclusion: agreement between raters and self-assessments was considered weak/moderate in Kappa and good/excellent in ICC.