Maria Eduarda Holzer Duda¹, Angélica Rocha de Freitas Melhem², Caryna Eurich Mazur³, Camila Dallazen², Dalton Luiz Schiessel^2,, Catiuscie Cabreira da Silva Tortorella²

Increased incidence of overweight and obesity globally may contribute to practical foods use, which are represented by unbalanced nutritional value and empty calories. This study amid to analyze and compare ultra-processed foods (UPF) aimed at children with those not aimed at this population. This quantitative analytical study was based on information contained in UPF packaging, from supermarkets in medium-sized countryside in Brazil. Children's products had own brand characters in 71.7% of analysis, claiming to be “vitamins source” and “minerals source” (23.0% and 10.4%, respectively). Nutritional value to 100/g of products aimed at children has more carbohydrates, while those not intended have more protein and total fat. Comparing daily caloric value percentage to package for age group and sex of children, pre-teens and adolescents, showed average values of energy, carbohydrate, protein, and sodium with significantly increased percentages for all groups, with exception of dietary fiber (p<0.05). It was found that daily caloric value calculated percentage by diet reference to 2,000kcal in all products, can over or underestimate individual children and adolescents needs. This study shows that nutritional products content with children's characteristics, compared to related products without proper characteristics, present significantly different values. UFP with children's characteristics, carbohydrate content per serving of package were higher. With regard to UPF intended for adult consumption, protein and total fat contents were higher.

ultra-processed foods, adults, kids, food packaging, food labeling