To evaluate the association between the consumption of NOVA food groups (classification based on the nature, extent and purpose of food processing) and the intake of energy, macro and micronutrients among school children.

Cross-sectional study. Food consumption was assessed by two 24-h dietary recalls on non-consecutive days. Energy from each NOVA food groups – ultra-processed foods, unprocessed or minimally processed foods, processed culinary ingredients and processed foods – was estimated. For analysis, the percentage of energy from ultra-processed foods and unprocessed or minimally processed foods were categorised into tertiles and associated with intake of energy, macro and micronutrients using analysis of covariance and linear regression.

Public schools in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.

School children aged 8–12 years (n 797; 406 girls; 391 boys).

Mean energy intake was 2050·18 ± 966·83 kcal/d, 25·8 % was from ultra-processed foods, 56·7 % from unprocessed or minimally processed foods, 8·9 % from processed culinary ingredients and 8·6 % from processed foods. A higher energy contribution from ultra-processed foods was negatively associated with the intake of protein, fibre, vitamin A, Fe and Zn (P < 0·001) and positively associated with total energy, lipid and Na intake (P < 0·001). Concurrently, a higher energy contribution from unprocessed or minimally processed foods was positively associated with the consumption of protein, fibre, Fe and Zn (P < 0·001) and negatively associated with total energy (P = 0·002), lipid and Na intake (P < 0·001).

In conclusion, higher ultra-processed food consumption presented a negative association with the nutrient intake profile of school children.

Describing the consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPF) and their association with the nutritional profiles among users of a health promotion service in a Brazilian city.

Cross-sectional study.

Public health promotion service of Primary Health Care in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Totally, 3372 participants.

UPF were found to contribute to 27·7 % of the diet’s total energy. The highest consumption was associated with higher values for energy intake (1561·8 v. 1331·8 kcal/d; P < 0·01), energy density (1·7 v. 1·4 kcal/g; P < 0·01), total (32·5 v. 27·3 %; P < 0·01) and trans-fats (2·1 v. 1·2 %; P < 0·01) and Na (1001·6 v. 758·9 mg/1000 kcal; P < 0·01) and with lower values for proteins (14·9 v. 19·6 %; P < 0·01), mono-unsaturated fats (16·1 v. 20·1 %; P = 0·02), n-3 (0·9 v. 1·1 %; P < 0·01) and some vitamins and minerals when comparing individuals in the last quintile of energy contribution from UPF in relation to the first one. The prevalence rate of nutrient inadequacy aimed at preventing non-communicable diseases increased between 30 % and 100 % when compared with the values of the fifth to the first quintile of UPF consumption (P < 0·001). However, the participants had lower energy intake, energy density and Na and higher fibre consumption when compared to Brazilian population.

Participants showed a high consumption of UPF, but also positive diet characteristics when compared with the national data. The results suggest the importance of health promotion services to promote healthy food and the need to include approaches to reduce UPF consumption.

To explore the impact of inadequate sleep and associated factors on the social behaviour and food consumption of children and adolescents.

Cross-sectional study.

Sleep information, social behaviour (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire), food consumption, demography, nutritional status, lifestyle, and biochemical tests were investigated.

School children in the 4th grade of the municipal school system of a large Brazilian city.

Of a total of 797 schoolchildren, 50·9 % were female, with a median age of 9·7 (9·5–10·0) years old and an energy consumption of 7613·6 (5982·7–9766·2) kJ. It was determined that 31·6 % were overweight, and 76·8 % reported insufficient weekly practice of physical activity. A median of 9·6 (8·9–10·5) h of sleep (lower values on weekdays: 9·3 v. 10·5 h, P < 0·001) was recorded. In addition, 27 % of the individuals who experienced inadequate sleep (<9 h) engaged in longer screen time daily (≥2 h/d) (P = 0·05), had an inadequate bedtime (> 22 h) or adequate wake-up time (5–7 h), studied in the morning (P < 0·001) and never took a shower before school (P < 0·001). Of the entire sample, 9·9 % had poor or very poor sleep quality and a greater probability of sleep talking regularly, had difficulty falling asleep, and engaged in inadequate social behaviour while experiencing these conditions compared with those with positive sleep quality. There was no association between sleep and the other variables investigated.

Sleep impairment contributed to changes in sleep and social behaviour in schoolchildren. The findings of this study may reinforce the importance of developing actions to promote adequate sleep and a healthy lifestyle at school age.

To estimate usual diets among Brazilian children regarding the consumption of school meals and social vulnerability risks.

A cross-sectional study. School meal consumers were considered those children who reported consuming school meals ≥3 times/week. Social vulnerability risk was classified by an index. Dietary intake was evaluated by one 24 h dietary recall for the whole sample; a second 24 h dietary recall was administered in a sub-sample (38·6 %). The National Cancer Institute’s method was used to estimate children’s usual intake of nutrients and food groups.

Municipal public schools from Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

Children (n 1357) aged 8–12 years.

Half of the sample lived in low/medium social vulnerability risk areas and 27·9 % were school meal non-consumers. School meal consumers more frequently lived in high/very high social vulnerability risk areas (76·2 v. 68·7 %). Children with low/medium social vulnerability risk had a higher mean intake of thiamin (1·13 v. 1·04 mg) and a lower mean intake of candy (1·35 v. 1·42 g). Consumption of school meals among children under high/very high social vulnerability risk was associated with higher mean consumption of vitamin C (31·9 v. 24·1 mg), unprocessed/minimally processed foods (956·3 v. 851·9 g), fruits (128·5 v. 90·9 g) and vegetables (58·2 v. 47·1 g). Ultra-processed food product consumption was lower among school meal consumers (136·2 v. 187·7 g), especially ultra-processed beverages (252·5 v. 305·7 g).

Consuming school meals was associated with a better usual diet quality, particularly among those with higher social vulnerability risk.

Food practices in the early years of life are important to form healthy eating habits; therefore, it is essential for the caregivers of infants to receive appropriate guidance. The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of different nutritional interventions on complementary feeding practices in municipal nurseries.

Non-randomized controlled intervention study with education professionals and parents of infants (<2 years). Participants were divided into: control group (CG), standard food and nutrition education in writing; and intervention group (IG), the same information as the CG and face-to-face meetings (professionals, 8 h; parents, 5 h). Changes in professionals’ knowledge on the subject and alterations in parents’ beliefs, attitudes and intentions were assessed using questionnaires before and after the educational activities.

Ten public nurseries in Nova Lima, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil, 2015.

Ninety professionals (fifty in CG; forty in IG) and 169 parents (ninety-seven in CG; seventy-two in IG).

After the intervention, there was a significant increase in the mean number of correct responses given by professionals in the IG (12·2 v. 10·7; P=0·001). In addition, there were improvements among the parents of the IG in relation to beliefs (soups and broths do not nourish my child: P=0·012), attitudes (offer meat from the sixth month: P=0·032) and intentions (do not offer soups and broths: P=0·003; offer vegetables: P=0·018; offer meat: P<0·001).

Face-to-face nutritional intervention had a significantly greater effect on the parameters evaluated, indicating the importance of adequate guidance in childcare services to support the introduction of complementary feeding.