BACKGROUND: Ultra-processed foods are highly palatable and can be consumed anywhere at any time, but typically have a poor nutritional profile. Therefore, their contribution to total energy intake has been proposed as an indicator for studying overall dietary quality.
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between the energy contribution from ultra-processed foods and the intake of nutrients related to chronic non-communicable diseases in Mexico.
DESIGN: This study used a secondary analysis of cross-sectional data from the 2012 Mexican National Health and Nutrition Survey.
PARTICIPANTS/SETTING: This study included participants aged 1 year and older (n=10,087) who had completed a 1-day 24-hour recall.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Intake from added sugar (% kcal), total fat (% kcal), saturated fat (% kcal), protein (% kcal), dietary fiber (g/1,000 kcal), and dietary energy density (kcal/g) were measured.
STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Multiple linear regression models adjusted for sociodemographic variables were fitted to assess the association between quintiles of energy contribution from ultra-processed foods and nutrient intake.
RESULTS: Mean reported energy contribution from ultra-processed foods to the Mexican population's diet ranged from 4.5% kcal in quintile 1 (Q1) to 64.2% kcal in quintile 5 (Q5). An increased energy contribution from ultra-processed foods was positively associated with intake from added sugar (Q1: 7.4% kcal; Q5: 17.5% kcal), total fat (Q1: 30.6% kcal; Q5: 33.5% kcal) and saturated fat (Q1: 9.3% kcal; Q5: 13.2% kcal), as well as dietary energy density (Q1: 1.4 kcal/g; Q5: 2.0 kcal/g) (P≤0.001); and inversely associated with intake from protein (Q1: 15.1% kcal; Q5: 11.9% kcal) and dietary fiber (Q1: 16.0 g/1,000 kcal; Q5: 8.4 g/1,000 kcal) (P≤0.001).
CONCLUSIONS: In the Mexican population, an increased energy contribution from ultra-processed foods was associated with a lower dietary quality with regard to intake of nutrients related to chronic non-communicable diseases. Future research is needed to identify barriers to eating a variety of unprocessed and minimally processed foods for the Mexican population, as well as effective public health strategies and policies to overcome these barriers.
