The relationship between ultraprocessed food consumption and obesity indicators in Iranian adults

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Food processing changes the nature of foods, and it is growing globally due to its availability and affordability and its effects on the palatability of foods. Consumption of ultraprocessed foods (UPFs) may adversely affect weight gain. The purpose of the current study is to examine the association between UPFs consumption and adiposity among Iranian adults. METHODS AND RESULTS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 1459 Iranian adults (≥19 years). Dietary intakes were assessed using a validated 136-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), and foods were classified based on the NOVA system. Overweight, obesity, and abdominal obesity were defined as body mass index (BMI) ≥25 and < 30, ≥30, respectively, and waist circumference (WC) ≥91 for women and WC ≥ 89 for men. The odds of general and abdominal obesity across the quartiles of UPFs were assessed by binary logistic regression. UPFs consumption contributed to 20.17 of daily energy intake. After adjustment for potential confounders, UPFs consumption was not associated with general or abdominal obesity. However, in the fully adjusted model, men in the top quartile of UPFs were twice as likely to be overweight compared with those in the bottom quartile (OR = 2.06, 95 CI: 1.03, 4.10; P = 0.047). No association was found in women or stratified analysis by age. CONCLUSION: The present findings suggest a sex-specific association between UPFs consumption and overweight. UPFs consumption might be associated with an increased risk of overweight in men, but no such association was found in women. Future cohort studies are required to confirm these results.