The consumption of culinary preparations and ultra-processed food is associated with handgrip strength in teenagers.

BACKGROUND: A nutrient-poor and hypocaloric diet may be associated with lower handgrip strength (HGS), whereas a high-quality or balanced diet may be associated with higher HGS. However, no study has used the NOVA system for classifying food by their degree of processing. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the association between food consumption according to the degree of food processing and HGS in Brazilian teenagers. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included teenagers aged 18 and 19 years old from the 1997/98 São Luís' birth cohort, Maranhão, Brazil. HGS (kilogram-force) was measured via a Jamar Plus + dynamometer. Food consumption was assessed using a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire. The energy intake of culinary preparations (unprocessed or minimally processed food and processed culinary ingredients), processed, and ultra-processed foods was evaluated in percentages and categorized in tertiles. The associations between each food group intake and HGS was estimated via crude and adjusted linear regression models. A directed acyclic graph was used to identify confounding factors. RESULTS: We evaluated 2,433 teenagers, 52.1% of which were girls. For boys, adjusted analysis showed an association between the highest HGS and the 3rd tertile of culinary preparation consumption (ß: 1.95; 95%CI: 0.80; 3.10) and between the lowest HGS and the 3rd tertile of ultra-processed food consumption (ß: -2.25; 95%CI: -3.40; -1.10). Among girls, the consumption of culinary preparations in the 3rd tertile was associated with higher HGS (ß: 0.76; 95%CI: 0.05; 1.46). CONCLUSIONS: Higher consumption of culinary preparations and lower consumption of ultra-processed foods can contribute to reduce the chance of lower HGS in adult life. Interventions to promote the development and preservation of muscle strength should include dietary recommendations.

Sex-Dependent Effects of the Intake of NOVA Classified Ultra-Processed Foods on Syndrome Metabolic Components in Brazilian Adults.

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.

Ultra-processed food consumption is associated with increase in fat mass and decrease in lean mass in Brazilian women: A cohort study.

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.

Incidence of metabolic syndrome in adults with healthy weight, normal weight obesity, and overweight/obesity.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to estimate the incidence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in individuals with a healthy weight (HWI), normal weight obesity (NWO), or overweight/obesity (OWO). METHODS: In all, 787 adults belonging to a 1978/1979 birth cohort from Ribeirão Preto were placed into one of three groups: HWI (body mass index [BMI] ≥18.5 and <25 kg/m2 + ∑skinfolds ≤90th percentile); NWO (BMI ≥18.5 and <25 kg/m2 +∑skinfolds >90th percentile); and OWO (BMI ≥25 kg/m2 +∑skinfolds >90th percentile). Those diagnosed with MetS at the 23 to 25 y of age were excluded according to Joint Interim Statement criteria. The incidence of MetS and its components in individuals 37 to 39 y of age was evaluated by Poisson regression with robust estimation of variance, which was adjusted for family income; physical activity level; and daily intake of calories, lipids, and added sugar. RESULTS: MetS was detected in 279 adults at 37 to 39 y of age. NWO and OWO individuals showed higher risk ratios (RRs) for the development of MetS (RR,1.87; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.36-2.57; RR, 1.61; 95% CI, 1.29-2.03), increased blood glucose levels (RR, 1.77; 95% CI, 1.12-2.79; RR, 1.51; 95% CI, 1.12-2.04), and increased waist circumferences (RR, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.32-1.61; RR, 1.50; 95% CI, 1.38-1.62). There was a higher risk for increased blood pressure (RR, 1.72; 95% CI, 1.35-2.19) among OWO individuals, but not among those with NWO. CONCLUSION: Individuals with NWO have a risk ratio for MetS similar to individuals with OWO. This demonstrates the need to assess body fat percentages, even in BMI-designated normal weight individuals, both for prevention and management of obesity.

Diagnostic performance of body mass index in detection of obesity using different cutoff points for excess body fat.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic sensitivity of body mass index (BMI) in detecting obesity according to different cutoff points in order to classify a high body fat percentage (%BF) in adolescents and young adults. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study conducted with 2447 adolescents 18 and 19 y of age residing in São Luís, Brazil and 951 young adults 21 to 23 y of age residing in Ribeirão Preto, Brazil. Three references were used to define a high %BF (i.e., those of Williams et al., Ramírez-Vélez et al., and Macias et al.). The area under the receiver operating characteristic area under the curve (AUC) was used to assess the performance of BMI. RESULTS: Sensitivity ranged from 38.3% to 54.1% among boys and from 12.7% to 72.7% among girls. Among young adults, it ranged from 52.3% to 67.1% in men and from 33.7% to 86.6% in women. The AUC ranged from 0.69 to 0.76 among boys, from 0.56 from 0.85 among girls, from 0.75 to 0.80 among men, and from 0.67 to 0.88 among women. The best cutoff points for the BMI were 24.79 to 25.10 kg/m2 for boys, 21.89 to 27.04 kg/m2 for girls, 26.43 to 28.22 kg/m2 for men, and 23.34 to 29.28 kg/m2 for women. CONCLUSION: The use of different references for the classification of a high %BF implied a difference in the diagnostic sensitivity of the BMI. Higher cutoff points resulted in greater sensitivity and ability to differentiate individuals with and without obesity.