RISCOS ASSOCIADOS AO CONSUMO DE ALIMENTOS ULTRAPROCESSADOS, LARGAMENTE CONSUMIDOS PELO PÚBLICO INFANTIL

Abstract

Childhood obesity is an emerging public health problem not only in Brazil, but throughout the world, with the high consumption of ultra-processed foods being one of the main causes. The objective was to tabulate and discuss data related to the ultra-processed foods most consumed by children, based on a “word cloud”, created during a week of consultations with children, in the preparation of the 24-hour recall, at the Municipal Center of Pires do Rio – GO. The words generated referred to the foods consumed by the children in the last 24 hours. From a nutritional point of view, these food products have high concentrations of fat, sugar and sodium, in addition to preservatives, colorings and other food additives, such food products are poor in vitamins, proteins and minerals. Continuous and excessive intake of these harmful health effects is leading to an increasing incidence of childhood obesity and chronic non-communicable diseas es.