Food environments in schools and in the immediate vicinity are associated with unhealthy food consumption among Brazilian adolescents

Students attending schools with cafeterias selling soft drinks had a higher likelihood of consuming these unhealthy foods, with odds ratios of 1.23 for private schools and 1.13 for public schools.

• The presence of cafeterias in schools selling deep fried salty snacks was linked to increased consumption of these items among students, with odds ratios of 1.41 in private schools and 1.16 in public schools.
• In private schools, availability of fruit and natural fruit juice in the cafeteria correlated with reduced consumption of bagged salty snacks and soft drinks, with odds ratios of 0.86 and 0.85, respectively.
• Participation in the Brazilian School Food Program in public schools was associated with lower consumption of unhealthy foods among students.
• The study highlights the role of the school food environment in influencing adolescents' dietary choices.

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