Ultraprocessed Foods: A Growing Risk for Childhood Obesity

Three-year-olds in Canada who consume a high amount of ultraprocessed foods are at an increased risk of becoming overweight or obese by age five, according to a recent study. Conducted by researchers at the University of Toronto's Temerty Faculty of Medicine, the study examined the diets of 2,217 Canadian toddlers and linked their eating habits to various physical measurements taken two years later. The findings, published in JAMA Network Open, reveal concerning trends about the impact of ultraprocessed foods on young children's health.

The study defined ultraprocessed foods as not only obvious items like soda and chips but also products such as flavored yogurt and commercially made whole-grain bread. Researchers analyzed data on what these children ate, as reported by their caregivers, and found significant correlations between high intake of ultraprocessed foods and indicators of obesity in five-year-olds. These indicators included weight-height combinations and skin-fold thickness measurements that signal overweight conditions.

The research revealed that ultraprocessed foods accounted for nearly half of the children's total daily energy intake.

"We saw that ultra-processed foods contributed to almost half of a child’s total daily energy intake," – Kozeta Miliku, MD, PhD, assistant professor of nutritional sciences at the University of Toronto’s Temerty Faculty of Medicine.

In terms of caloric consumption, the average daily intake among the three-year-olds was 1,518 calories, with a range from 1,239 to 1,858 calories. The study highlighted a sex-driven effect, with stronger impacts observed in boys compared to girls.

Lead researcher Kozeta Miliku, MD, PhD, emphasized the potential long-term implications of these findings. By age five, children with diets high in ultraprocessed foods exhibited physical measurements consistent with overweight or obesity. The study suggests that curbing the intake of these foods could be a critical step in preventing childhood obesity.

The detailed analysis linked children's dietary habits at age three to their height, weight, waist circumference, and skinfold thickness measurements taken two years later. This comprehensive approach provided a clear picture of how early dietary choices might affect a child's health trajectory.