Offering ultra-processed foods in pediatric hospital diets for children over two years of age at a university hospital

Abstract

Introduction: The diet provided in hospital environments should promote good eating habits by offering healthy food. However, it is known that processed foods are served in hospital diets. Objective: To evaluate the presence and the frequency of ultra-processed foods in the pediatric diets of a university hospital. Methods: The sample consisted of 25 pediatric diets prescribed for children older than two years. Data collection occurred from January to August 2020. The menus were analyzed according to the level of food processing, following the NOVA classification. The data was analyzed in Microsoft Excel, and the results obtained were described by absolute and relative frequency. Results: Natural or minimally processed foods represent 54.3% (n=10,851). The culinary ingredients accounted for 28.9% (n=5,768); processed foods, 2.7% (n=551); and ultra-processed, 13.9% (n=2,789). A total of 29 ultra-processed foods were identified, of which the three most frequent were chocolate milk powder (23.5%, n=658), margarine (18.5%, n=518) and sliced bread (11%, n=308). The biggest offer occurs in breakfast (31%, n=854), in the afternoon snack (30%, n=844) and on supper (24%, n=661), representing 85% (n=2,359) of the total offer. Conclusions: The findings of this study include the presence of ultra-processed foods in virtually all hospital pediatric diets analyzed. However, natural or minimally processed foods represent more than half of the composition of the menus.

Keywords

• alimentos industrializados. nutrição da criança. obesidade pediátrica. saúde da criança. dieta. planejamento de cardápio.