Increasing consumption of ultra-processed foods and likely impact on human health: evidence from Brazil
Open accessAbstract
OBJECTIVE: To assess time trends in the contribution of processed foods to food purchases made by Brazilian households and to explore the potential impact on the overall quality of the diet. DESIGN: Application of a new classification of foodstuffs based on extent and purpose of food processing to data collected by comparable probabilistic household budget surveys. The classification assigns foodstuffs to the following groups: unprocessed/minimally processed foods (Group 1); processed culinary ingredients (Group 2); or ultra-processed ready-to-eat or ready-to-heat food products (Group 3). SETTING: Eleven metropolitan areas of Brazil. SUBJECTS: Households; n 13,611 in 1987-8, n 16,014 in 1995-5 and n 13,848 in 2002-3. RESULTS: Over the last three decades, the household consumption of Group 1 and Group 2 foods has been steadily replaced by consumption of Group 3 ultra-processed food products, both overall and in lower- and upper-income groups. In the 2002-3 survey, Group 3 items represented more than one-quarter of total energy (more than one-third for higher-income households). The overall nutrient profile of Group 3 items, compared with that of Group 1 and Group 2 items, revealed more added sugar, more saturated fat, more sodium, less fibre and much higher energy density. CONCLUSIONS: The high energy density and the unfavourable nutrition profiling of Group 3 food products, and also their potential harmful effects on eating and drinking behaviours, indicate that governments and health authorities should use all possible methods, including legislation and statutory regulation, to halt and reverse the replacement of minimally processed foods and processed culinary ingredients by ultra-processed food products.
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In the 1985 to 2005 period extensive added sugar intake occurred across HIC, but more recently large increases have occurred in LMIC, particularly in consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and processed foods.
“In the 1985 to 2005 period extensive added sugar intake occurred across HIC (55) but more recently large increases have occurred in LMIC, particularly in consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and processed foods (56–59).”
From Food Consumption and its Impact on Cardiovascular Disease: Importance of Solutions Focused on the Globalized Food System (2015) · cites this paper as [59]
The component that is "ultra-processed" varies depending on the method of measurement but is increasing wherever it is studied at all income levels.
“The component that is “ultra-processed” – ready to eat, of snack, foods – varies depending on the method of measurement but is increasing wherever it is studied at all income levels (50,85,86).”
From Food Consumption and its Impact on Cardiovascular Disease: Importance of Solutions Focused on the Globalized Food System (2015) · cites this paper as [86]
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- Authors
- Monteiro, C. A., Levy, R. B., Claro, R. M., de Castro, I. R. R., & Cannon, G.
- Affiliations
- Universidade de São Paulo (BR)
- Corresponding author
- Monteiro, Carlos Augusto
- Venue
- Public Health Nutrition
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press (CUP)
- Published
- 2010-12-20
- Volume
- 14
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 5-13
- ISSN
- 1368-9800 (ISSN-L)
- 1475-2727
- OpenAlex
- W2171252298
- Cited by
- 1,060
- References
- 32
- Citations by year
- 2026: 22 · 2025: 36 · 2024: 64 · 2023: 59 · 2022: 72 · 2021: 131 · 2020: 119 · 2019: 108 · 2018: 60 · 2017: 100 · 2016: 69 · 2015: 67 · 2014: 65 · 2013: 44 · 2012: 33
- FWCI
- 27.89
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Public Health Nutrition (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Scientific Electronic Library Online (São Paulo Research Foundation, Latin American and Caribbean Center on Health Sciences Information, Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico) (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Consumer Attitudes and Food Labeling
- Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management › Global Public Health Policies and Epidemiology
- Social Sciences › Economics, Econometrics and Finance › Economics and Econometrics › Economics of Agriculture and Food Markets
- Keywords
- ultra-processed foods, household food consumption, diet quality, nutrient profile, energy density, added sugars, saturated fat, sodium intake, dietary fiber, temporal trends, food policy, Brazil
- MeSH terms
- Brazil, Energy Intake, Diet, Food, Food Handling, Humans, Public Health, Fast Foods
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