Ultra-Processed Foods and Childhood Obesity: Current evidence and perspectives

Purpose of the review: Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) represent foods that have undergone substantial industrial processing, such as the addition of preservatives and various other ingredients, thereby making them more tasty, appealing and easy to consume. UPFs are often rich in sugars, saturated fats and salt, while they are low in essential nutrients.The aim of this review is to examine the relationship between the widespread consumption of UPFs and the development of obesity among children and adolescents. Our goal is to further elucidate the potentially devastating outcomes of increased consumption of UPFs in children in terms of adipose indices and metabolic features.

Recent findings: The widespread consumption of UPFs in children has been associated with abnormal metabolic parameters, such as increased body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC), high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and triglyceride levels, along with increased fasting plasma glucose and insulin resistance. Factors such as lower family socioeconomic status, lower parental educational status, religious preferences, lower costs and widespread availability of UPFs, as well as extensive advertising, all seem to be involved in a vicious cycle promoting overconsumption of UPFs. As UPFs and childhood obesity are interconnected, it is of the utmost importance to implement potential preventive interventions in order to promote public health and decrease the incidence of the obesity tide among children and adolescents.