Consumption of ultra-processed foods and nutritional status in pregnant peruvian women treated at a maternal and child health center

Pajuelo Madueño A.S.; Ttupa Capistrano S.N.; Gomez Rutti Y.Y.; Touriz Bonifaz M.A.; Monserrate Romero A.G.; Jiménez Jiménez W.J. · Nutricion Clinica y Dietetica Hospitalaria (2025) · DOI: 10.12873/454pajuelo

Resumen

Introduction: Pregnancy requires adequate nutrition, as a poor diet can affect maternal and fetal health. Objective: To determine the relationship between the consumption of ultra-processed foods and nutritional status in Peruvian pregnant women treated at a Maternal and Child Health Center. Materials and Methods: Non-experimental, cross-sectional descriptive-correlational study. The sample consisted of 159 pregnant women in their second and third trimesters of pregnancy. Sampling was non-probabilistic and based on convenience. The survey was validated and administered by nutritionist interviewers and consisted of 17 questions on the consumption of ultra-processed foods. Scores were considered on a scale of low consumption (17-51 points) and high consumption (52-85 points). Pre-pregnancy BMI and weight gain were obtained from the Health Center’s pregnancy check-up cards. The data were analyzed using Spearman’s statistical test to relate the consumption of ultra-processed foods and anthropometric indicators, with a significance level of p<0.05. Results: Regarding pre-pregnancy BMI, 40.3% of pregnant women were overweight and 22.6% were obese. Thirty-nine point zero percent had high weight gain and 32.7% had adequate weight gain. Likewise, 58.5% reported high consumption of ultra-processed foods. There is a positive association between ultra-processed foods and PG BMI (Rho = 0.215; p = 0.006), especially snacks, cookies, sweetened cereals, cakes and biscuits, sweets, soft drinks, energy drinks, yogurt, chocolate milk, and seasonings, which are associated with a higher BMI in pregnant women (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The consumption of ultra-processed foods is related to a higher pre-pregnancy BMI. The high frequency of intake of products such as snacks, cookies, sweetened cereals, cakes and biscuits, sweets, soft drinks, energy drinks, industrialized yogurt, chocolate milk, and seasonings reflects an unhealthy eating pattern in pregnant women.

Instituciones: Universidad Nacional de Educación Enrique Guzmán y Valle