Consumo de alimentos ultraprocessados por pré-escolares de uma escola da rede municipal de ensino de Itaqui-RS

Abstract

Identify the consumption in children preschool of ultra-processed foods in a school municipal early child education from Itaqui-RS. Cross-sectional study, performed with preschool with two to five years old. The data collection through a questionnaire applied to parents or guardians of children. This instrument account questions about sociodemographic characteristics, child health, introduction of complementary feeding and current food consumption, and for the assessment of food consumption was utilized consumption frequency questionnaire of food that had the following food items: bread, cheese, milk and yogurt, sugar, candy and snack foods, drinks and among others. The sample was consisted for 57 children, with a mean age of 3 years, consisting of 50.9% female and 63.2% were white. The ultra-processed foods most consumed were bread (70.2%), fruit yogurt (57.9%), artificial juice (50.9%) and chocolate milk (49.1%), with frequency of consumption ≥ 1x/day, followed by soft drinks (64.9%), chocolate and snacks (57.9 %), cookies (50.9%) and instant noodles (43.9%), with frequency of consumption of 1 to 4x/week. Therefore is possible observe a high consumption of ultra-processed foods in the diet of preschool children. Measures need to be taken to reduce this intake, which in turn brings detriments to health such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension, among others.