Eating context and ultraprocessed food consumption among UK adolescents.

We aimed to evaluate the association between eating context patterns and ultraprocessed food consumption at two main meal occasions in a representative sample of UK adolescents. Data were acquired from 4-d food records of adolescents aged 11-18 years, who participated in the 2014-2016 UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey (n 542). The eating context was assessed considering the location of the meal (lunch and dinner) occasion, the individuals present, whether the television was on and if the food was consumed at a table. Ultraprocessed foods were identified using the NOVA classification. Exploratory factor analysis was used to identify eating context patterns for lunch and dinner. Linear regression models adjusted for the covariates were utilised to test the association between eating context patterns and the proportion of total daily energy intake derived from ultraprocessed foods. Their contribution was about 67 % to energy intake. Three patterns were retained for lunch ('At school with friends', 'TV during family meal' and 'Out-of-home (no school)'), and three patterns were retained for dinner ('Watching TV alone in the bedroom', 'TV during family meal' and 'Out-of-home with friends'). At lunch, there was no significant association between any of the three patterns and ultraprocessed food consumption. At dinner, the patterns 'Watching TV alone in the bedroom' (coefficient: 4·95; 95 % CI 1·87, 8·03) and 'Out-of-home with friends' (coefficient: 3·13; 95 % CI 0·21, 6·14) were associated with higher consumption of ultraprocessed food. Our findings suggest a potential relationship between the immediate eating context and ultraprocessed food consumption by UK adolescents.

Potential reductions in ultra-processed food consumption substantially improve population cardiometabolic-related dietary nutrient profiles in eight countries.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The negative effect on dietary nutrient profiles is the most obvious mechanism explaining the higher risk of cardiometabolic diseases associated with increased dietary share of UPF observed in large cohort studies. We estimate the proportion of diets with excessive energy density, excessive free sugars or saturated fat contents and insufficient fiber that could be avoided, if UPF consumption was reduced to levels among lowest consumers across eight countries, as well as the proportion of diets with multiple inadequacies. METHODS AND RESULTS: Using nationally-representative cross-sectional surveys from Brazil (2008-09), Chile (2010), Colombia (2005), Mexico (2012), Australia (2011-12), the UK (2008-16), Canada (2015), and the US (2015-16), inadequate energy density (≥2.25 kcal/g) or contents of free sugars (>10% of total energy intake), saturated fats (>10% of total energy intake) and fiber (<25 g/2000 kcal) population attributable fractions were quantified. Substantial reductions in nutrient inadequacies would be observed ranging from 50.4% in Chile to 76.8% in US for dietary energy density, from 15.5% in Colombia to 68.4% in Australia for free sugars, from 9.5% in Canada to 35.0% in Mexico for saturated fats, and from 10.3% in UK to 37.9% in Mexico for fiber. Higher reductions would be observed for diets with multiple nutrient inadequacies: from 27.3% in UK to 77.7% in Australia for ≥3 and from 69.4% in Canada to 92.1% in US, for 4 inadequacies. CONCLUSIONS: Lowering dietary contribution of UPF to levels among country-specific lowest consumers is a way to improve population cardiometabolic-related dietary nutrient profiles.