Association of Maternal Consumption of Ultra-Processed Foods with Feeding Practices and Malnutrition in Breastfed Infants: A Cross-Sectional Study

Although the adverse health effects of consuming ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are well-documented, limited evidence exists on their impact during lactation. This study examined the association between maternal UPF consumption, feeding practices, and malnutrition in breastfed infants. A cross-sectional analysis was conducted with 111 mother-child pairs up to 150 days postpartum. Infant feeding practices were assessed using WHO indicators, and malnutrition was evaluated by length-for-age and BMI-for-age. Maternal dietary intake was estimated using two 24 h recalls, and UPF consumption was classified by the Nova classification. Dyads were grouped based on the highest UPF consumption quartile, and adjusted binary logistic regression was applied. UPFs accounted for 26% of the maternal diet on average. While 71.2% of infants were exclusively breastfed, one-third were overweight, and 11.7% were stunted. High maternal UPF consumption (>32% of energy) was associated with increased odds of malnutrition by BMI-for-age (wasting or overweight) (OR 3.38; 95% CI: 1.29-8.83) and stunting (OR 3.89; 95% CI: 1.04-14.58). Feeding practices showed no association. These findings highlight that maternal UPF consumption is associated with malnutrition odds in breastfed infants in the population assessed, emphasizing the need for dietary guidance during lactation to improve infant health outcomes.