Association between the Consumption of Ultra-Processed Foods and Asthma in Adults from Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil.

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.

Sugar-Sweetened Beverages and Allergy Traits at Second Year of Life: BRISA Cohort Study.

Sugar-Sweetened Beverage (SSBs) consumption has risen in early life and it is plausible that it might increase children's risk of allergies. In this paper, we analyzed the association of SSB consumption with allergies in children's second year of life. This study analyzed data from a São Luís BRISA prenatal cohort in the follow-up of children (n = 1144) in their second year of life. Allergy Traits were a latent variable deduced from medical diagnoses of allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, and food allergies. SSBs were investigated as a percentage of daily calories based on 24 h recalls, including industrialized fruit juices, soft drinks, and ready-made chocolate milk. Other variables analyzed were socioeconomic status, age, body mass index z-score, episodes of diarrhea, and breastfeeding. Our finds were that higher consumption of daily calories from SSBs was associated with higher Allergy Trait values (SC = 0.174; p = 0.025); older age (SC = -0.181; p = 0.030) was associated with lower Allergy Trait values; and episodes of diarrhea were correlated with Allergy Traits (SC = 0.287; p = 0.015). SSB exposure was associated with Allergy Traits in children's second year of life; thus, abstaining from these beverages may also confer additional advantages in curtailing allergic diseases during early childhood.

Impactos da pandemia do novo coronavírus no direito humano à alimentação e à nutrição adequadas e programas de segurança alimentar e nutricional: quais os desafios e o que propor? / Impacts of the new coronavirus pandemic on human rights to adequate food and nutrition and food and nutritional security programs: what are the challenges and solutions?

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.

Abstract Background The new coronavirus pandemic increased the violation of human rights to adequate food and nutrition and increased food and nutritional insecurity in the Brazilian population. Objective to analyze the policies and programs adopted by the Brazilian Government to promote food and nutritional security during the pandemic (year 2020). Method Official websites were searched to identify proposed initiatives. Results Despite some specific measures, such as emergency financial aid, more effective strategies to strengthen the Food Acquisition Program, encourage small farmers, facilitate food transportation and sale and to guarantee that assistance programs that facilitate income and food access are continued throughout the whole pandemic, need to be urgently considered. Conclusion Initiatives from the three spheres of government are required to combat the impacts of the new coronavirus pandemic on indices of food and nutritional insecurity in Brazil.

Factors associated with allergy traits around the 2nd year of life: a brazilian cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Allergic status has been strongly influenced by early exposures; however, allergic diseases are hard to measure in early life. Thus, this study proposed a latent variable allergy traits around the second year of life and analyzed pre- and perinatal factors associated with this phenomenon. METHODS: The study used data from the BRISA birth cohort, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil (n = 3644). The theoretical model included: family allergy (history of allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, and asthma); gestational period variables (socioeconomic status, mother's skin color, pregestational body mass index - BMI, smoking, gestational diabetes, and hypertension); birth variables (gestational age, 5-minute Apgar score, birth weight, type of delivery), and early life factor (exclusive breast feeding). The outcome was allergy traits around the 2nd year of life, a latent variable deduced from the shared variance among medical diagnosis of allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, and food allergy. The model was analyzed by structural equation modeling. RESULTS: Higher socioeconomic status (SC = 0.256; p < 0.001) and higher family allergy values (SC = 1.224; p < 0.001) were associated with higher allergy trait values. Hypertension during pregnancy was associated with higher values (SC = 0.170; p = 0.022) and exclusive breast feeding (SC = -0.192; p < 0.001) with low allergy trait values. CONCLUSION: Although socioeconomic and environmental factors were associated with allergy traits around the 2nd year of life, the family component of allergy was the exposure that best explained this outcome.