Relação entre o consumo de alimentos ultraprocessados e o perfil antropométrico de mulheres lactantes: uma análise transversal

Abstract

Ultra-processed foods (UPF) are generally high in energy density and have been associated with greater adiposity and the risk of developing excess weight at different stages of life. Despite this, there is a paucity of knowledge regarding the impact of UPF consumption during lactation, a phase in which diet quality is crucial to prevent postpartum weight retention and obesity in adult women. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the association between UPF consumption and the anthropometric profile of lactating women. Socioeconomic and health data, maternal food consumption, and anthropometric measurements were collected from lactating women who breastfed exclusively or partially between 30 and 150 days postpartum. Food consumption was obtained by 24-hour recall and evaluated according to the New Classification. The anthropometric profile was analyzed by postpartum weight retention (kg), presence of excess weight according to the Body Mass Index (BMI), measurements of body perimeters (cm) and skinfolds (mm). The participants were grouped according to the tertile of energy participation of UPF in the diet (tertile 1-2 vs. tertile 3). The association between UPA tertiles and the anthropometric profile was assessed using linear regression models, which were adjusted for pre-pregnancy BMI, exclusive breastfeeding (EBF), number of postpartum days, gestational weight gain, number of births, per capita income, and education, both of which were categorized. The women were 28 years old on average (standard deviation = 7 years), 68 days postpartum on average (standard deviation = 42-104 days), 34.7% had low education, and the majority had low income (82.3%). The average caloric participation of UPF in the diet was 23.31% (standard deviation = 0- 76%). A total of 66.1% of the subjects exhibited excess weight, and 40.9% had retained more than 4 kg in the postpartum period, with a median retention of 3.0 kg (-0.3-5.0). After adjusting for potential confounding variables, a positive correlation was observed between the greater energy contribution of ultra-processed foods (UPF) in the diet and postpartum weight retention (β= 3.75, 95% CI 1.40 – 6.10, p= 0.002). For other anthropometric measurements associated with adiposity, pre-gestational body mass index (BMI) was identified as the variable with the greatest explanatory power after adjustments. The findings underscore the necessity for initiatives to reduce UPF intake and prevent excess weight gain during lactation.