Perfis de aquisição de alimentos segundo grau de processamento e fatores associados em famílias com adolescentes de Juiz de Fora (MG)

Abstract

One of the central causes of the obesity epidemic and noncommunicable chronic diseases is the replacement of fresh and minimally processed foods with ultraprocessed foods of high energy density and low nutritional quality. The general tendency of increased consumption of these foods justifies the need to study the factors associated with their acquisition. The objective of the study was to group the sample into profiles according to the acquisition of in natura, processed and ultraprocessed foods and to investigate the association between these profiles and the anthropometric, socioeconomic and diet related habits of families with adolescents from Juiz de Fora. This is a cross-sectional epidemiological study conducted in 2016 and 2017 with 660 adolescents between 10 and 16 years of age, both male and female, enrolled in primary and secondary education in public and private institutions. Anthropometric, socioeconomic and diet related habits were collected through questionnaires. For the collection of food acquisition data, a large booth containing scenic food was set up, displayed on gondolas, bags and shelves. The adolescents were instructed to buy the items usually consumed by the family. These items were accounted for according to the degree of processing in fresh, processed and ultraprocessed foods. From these data, through cluster analysis, families were grouped according to common food acquisition characteristics and generated four profiles, named "healthy", "restricted", "excess" and "junk food". The association between these profiles and other data collected was evaluated through chi-square test. Results evidenced combined between the acquisition profile of junk food and the families of adolescents attending the public school system. It is also evidenced the alarmed of families that are in the profile "junk food". It is necessary to deepen the investigations related to the profiles of food acquisition in order to classify the households regarding the presence of risk factors and health protection related to the availability of ultraprocessed foods.