Marcadores de consumo alimentar de adolescentes

Introduction: The consumption of healthy foods is essential for human development, however, the consumption of ultra-processed foods has increased, especially among young people. The school environment and socioeconomic issues significantly influence eating habits. Objective: To compare the food consumption of adolescent students from public and private schools in Sergipe. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study based on data from the 2019 National School Health Survey. The administrative dependence of schools (public or private) was the dependent variable, while sociodemographic variables and markers of current and habitual consumption were considered independent. Absolute and relative frequencies were calculated, and associations between variables were analyzed using Pearson's Chi-square test (p<0.05). Results: Public school students reported greater consumption of margarine (49.1%), boxed juice (29.0%), instant noodles (22.1%) or powdered soft drinks (19.0%). In contrast, students from private schools consumed more bread (45.5%), industrialized sauces (33.1%), chocolate drinks (27.3%) and industrialized desserts (4.6%). There was no significant association between the consumption of stuffed biscuits and sausages and administrative dependence. Discussion: Differences in food consumption, use of electronics and internet access were observed, with private schools having greater access to a variety of foods, influenced by socioeconomic, historical and cultural factors, highlighting the need to regulate eating practices in and around schools. Conclusion: Both groups consume unhealthy foods, however, there are variations between the types of food chosen, influenced by socioeconomic factors.