Consumo de produtos ultraprocessados em uma comunidade universitária de São Luís, Maranhão: associação com ao excesso de peso e hipertensão

Abstract

Ultra-processed products are formulations made by the food industry, characterized by having less fiber and protein, more added sugar and, when solid, higher energy density. Increased intake has been related to overweight and hypertension, and the university environment contributes to develop or reinforce practices and behaviors considered risky. The aim of this study was to evaluate the consumption of ultra-processed products, associated with indicators of overweight and hypertension among students and servers at the Federal University of Maranhão, Dom Delgado Campus. This is an epidemiological study of cross-sectional nature in which, for data collection, an online questionnaire was used, composed of 97 questions. The data were analyzed in the statistical program SPSS, through absolute frequency and percentage, measure of central tendency and dispersion to verify possible associations or difference in data distribution between the dependent and independent variables related to nutritional status and consumption of ultra-processed foods. After performing the analysis it was found that the consumption of ultra-processed food was 97.2%, and 89.3% consume weekly processed cheese, cottage cheese, margarine, and sweetened dairy drinks. The association between overweight and the study variables showed that being male (PR 1.24, C95% 1.05-1.46), being aged 30-50 years (PR 1.86, C95% 1.57-2.21), being over 50 years (PR 2.23, C95% 1.71-2.92) and being in a stable union (PR 1.26, C95% 1.06-1.49) was significantly associated with a higher prevalence of overweight. Being female (55%), being 30 years of age and older (3.3-5.8 times), and having no children at home (43%) had a significant association with higher risk of developing cardiovascular risk. The association between the average weekly and daily consumption of ultra-processed food with the independent variables was associated with the classification of inadequate eating habits and cardiovascular risk. The results of this study indicate that, in the individuals evaluated, the consumption of ultra-processed products was not associated with hypertension and overweight. On the other hand, consuming ultra-processed products had a significant relationship with the presence of inadequate eating habits and cardiovascular risk. Keywords: