Brazilian researchers have found that parents’ consumption of ultra-processed foods may affect the distribution of body fat in their future children – and that these effects are established even before conception. This is according to a study published in Nutrition Research
Reference
Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are industrially produced foods made primarily from refined and synthesized ingredients (extracts, hydrolyzed proteins, sugars, trans fats) with the addition of numerous chemical additives. Such products contain virtually no whole ingredients and are artificially created to be as cheap as possible to produce, have a long shelf life, and trigger a strong desire to eat them again (so-called “hyperpalatability”).
The researchers analyzed a group of 43 families, each consisting of a mother, a father, and a newborn. Initially, pregnant women were recruited to participate, and their partners joined the study later
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During the study, parents were interviewed twice about the foods and beverages they had consumed in the past 24 hours. The researchers then calculated what percentage of the energy in their diet came from ultra-processed foods
After the children were born, the researchers conducted comprehensive measurements: birth weight and length, circumferences of various body parts, skinfold thickness, and body composition indices
Further analysis of the data showed that higher consumption of ultra-processed foods by fathers was associated with higher birth weight in newborns, a higher weight-for-height ratio, and thicker skinfolds on the thighs and in the pelvic region
The study did not find an increase in the total amount of adipose tissue, but it did document its accumulation in specific areas of the child’s body. This suggests that the father’s diet may also influence fetal development, Sartorelli notes
It is worth noting that this study shows only a correlation in the data
Scientists have found that The quality of food products may be more important, rather than the degree to which they have been processed
Scientists have found thatUltra-processed meat and sugary drinks are the most harmful to the brain. An extra serving each day increases the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease
This is a machine translation of the original article in Ukrainian. It may contain errors.
ultra-processed foodschild health
