Interdisciplinary intervention reduces the consumption of ultra-processed foods in adolescents with overweight or obesity

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of interdisciplinary intervention with motivational approach on the consumption of ultra-processed foods in overweight or obese adolescents. The method used was a randomized clinical trial in which participants were allocated to control group (CG) and intervention group (IC). The data collection of food consumption occurred through the 24-hour food record, obtained at the beginning and end of interventions. The foods consumed were classified into the four NOVA groups according to the degree of processing which they are submitted. Forty-two adolescents with a mean age of 16.5±1.3 years, mostly female (69%), participated in the study. In IG, the average kcal of ultra-processed foods decreased by 37.5% after intervention. In contrast, there was an increase in the consumption of processed foods in both groups. It was concluded that the interdisciplinary intervention with a motivational approach was effective in reducing the consumption of ultra-processed foods in the studied population.

Este estudo objetivou avaliar o efeito da intervenção interdisciplinar com abordagem motivacional sobre o consumo de alimentos ultraprocessados em adolescentes com sobrepeso ou obesidade. O método utilizado foi um ensaio clínico randomizado no qual os participantes distribuíram-se em grupo controle (GC) e grupo intervenção (GI). A coleta de dados do consumo alimentar ocorreu mediante o recordatório de 24 horas, obtido no início e ao final das intervenções. Os alimentos consumidos foram categorizados nos quatro grupos da classificação alimentar NOVA conforme o grau de processamento a qual são submetidos. Participaram 42 adolescentes com média de idade de 16,5±1,3 anos, a maioria do gênero feminino (69%). No GI, a média de quilocalorias de alimentos ultraprocessados diminuiu 37,5% após a intervenção; em contrapartida, aumentou o consumo de alimentos processados em ambos os grupos. Concluiu-se que a intervenção interdisciplinar com abordagem motivacional foi eficaz na redução do consumo de alimentos ultraprocessados na população estudada.