Background and objective:

Although there is a consistent association between consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPF) and chronic noncommunicable diseases among adults, the association with metabolic markers of chronic diseases in children may depend on the percentage of energy intake from UPF. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of reduction in UPF consumption on glucose, insulin and serum lipids in children with obesity.

Methods:

This study presents a secondary analysis from a randomized clinical trial conducted between August 2018 and February 2020 with children with obesity aged 7 to 12 years. For six months, the children and their guardians attended monthly individual consultations and educational activities to encourage a reduction in UPF consumption. Body weight, height, and 24-hour dietary recall were measured at all visits. Serum markers were collected at baseline, at the second and fifth-month follow-up. Linear mixed-effect models were used to assess the influence of change in UPF consumption on blood markers.

Results:

A total of 95 children were included in the analysis. There was a quadratic change in BMI, UPF consumption in grams and energy, and percentage of UPF in grams, with reduction in the first two months. Glucose showed a linear reduction during the follow-up. There was also a reduction in insulin, but the change was due to the reduction in BMI.

Conclusions:

There Was An Association Between UPF Consumption And The Reduction Of Blood Glucose Independently Of Weight Loss, But Insulin Variation Was Dependent On BMI.