The burden of excessive saturated fatty acid intake attributed to ultra-processed food consumption: a study conducted with nationally representative cross-sectional studies from eight countries

Abstract

Abstract Cross-sectional nutritional survey data collected in eight countries were used to estimate saturated fatty acid intakes. Our objective was to estimate the proportion of excessive saturated fatty acid intakes (10 of total energy intake) that could be avoided if ultra-processed food consumption was reduced to levels observed in the first quintile of each country. Secondary analysis was performed of 24 h dietary recall or food diaryrecord data collected by the most recently available nationally representative cross-sectional surveys carried out in Brazil (2008-9), Chile (2010), Colombia (2005), Mexico (2012), Australia (2011-12), the UK (2008-16), Canada (2015) and the US (2015-16). Population attributable fractions estimated the impact of reducing ultra-processed food consumption on excessive saturated fatty acid intakes (above 10 of total energy intake) in each country. Significant relative reductions in the percentage of excessive saturated fatty acid intakes would be observed in all countries if ultra-processed food consumption was reduced to levels observed in the first quintiles consumption. The reductions in excessive intakes ranged from 100 (95 CI 62-136 ) in Canada to 350 (95 CI 287-480 ) in Mexico. In all eight studied countries, all presenting more than 30 of intakes with excessive saturated fatty acids, lowering the dietary contribution of ultra-processed foods to attainable, context-specific levels was shown to be a potentially effective way to reduce the percentage of intakes with excessive saturated fatty acids, which may play an important role in the prevention of non-communicable diseases, particularly cardiovascular diseases.

Keywords: CI, confidence interval; CVD, cardiovascular disease; Diet; ES, estimated size; NCD, non-communicable disease; PAF, population attributable fraction; PR, prevalence ratio; Population attributable fraction; Saturated fatty acids; UPF, ultra-processed food; Ultra-processed foods.