Unhealthy ultra-processed food consumption in children and adolescents living in the Mediterranean area: The DELICIOUS Project

This study investigates the consumption patterns of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) characterized by excessive energy, fats, and sugars among children and adolescents aged 6 to 17 years in five Mediterranean countries, as part of the DELICIOUS project. A total of 2011 parents participated in a survey assessing their children’s frequency of UPF consumption, along with demographic, dietary, and lifestyle factors. The findings indicate that a significant proportion of children consume unhealthy UPFs daily. Notably, higher consumption rates correlate with older age, obesity, and higher parental education levels. Additionally, children who frequently eat out or have a greater number of meals are more likely to consume unhealthy UPFs. Increased screen time and lower healthy lifestyle scores are also linked to higher UPF consumption. In conclusion, the prevalence of unhealthy UPF consumption among Mediterranean youth is concerning, reflecting broader unhealthy lifestyle patterns. [NPID: Ultra-processed foods, UPFs, dietary intake, Mediterranean, countries, children]

Year: 2025

Reference: Rosi A, Giampieri F, Abdelkarim O, Aly M, Ammar A, Frias-Toral E, Pons J, Vázquez-Araújo L, Scuderi A, Decembrino N, Leonardi A, Maniega Legarda F, Monasta L, Mata A, Chacón A, Busó P and Grosso G (2025). Unhealthy Ultra-Processed Food Consumption in Children and Adolescents Living in the Mediterranean Area: The DELICIOUS Project. Int. J. Public Health 70:1608318. doi: 10.3389/ijph.2025.1608318

Related Studies

Breakfast skipping, anxiety, exercise, and soda consumption are associated with diet quality in Mexican college students

In 2017, Mexican college students were asked to complete a health and nutrition survey to get an insight into the students’ diet quality and sociodemographic background. The objective of this paper was to examine the relationship between diet quality and sociodemographic factors among these 450 Mexican college students. In Mexico, reports have indicated that university […]

Dietary patterns, their covariates, and associations with severity of depressive symptoms among university students in Lebanon: a cross-sectional study

This 2019 study planned to characterize the dietary patterns adopted by university students in Lebanon and analyze the possible association between these dietary patterns with socio-demographic, lifestyle, and stress factors, and with severity of depressive symptoms. A total of 457 private university students completed several questionnaires on diet, socio-demographics, lifestyle characteristics, and depressive symptoms. There […]