Consumption of ultra-processed foods and associated factors in Spanish children aged 8–12 years: a cross-sectional analysis within the INMA cohort study

The consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPF) has been associated with adverse health effects. The predictors of consumption, particularly in high-intake groups like children and adolescents, are scarcely understood. We evaluated UPF consumption and associated factors among male and female Spanish children aged 8–12 years participating in the INMA birth cohort. We cross-sectionally analyzed data from 1565 mother–child pairs at age 8 and 314 pairs at age 12. Children’s diets were assessed using validated food frequency questionnaires. UPF consumption was defined using the NOVA classification and categorized into tertiles. The associations between maternal-child characteristics and children’s UPF consumption were analyzed using multinomial logistic regression to estimate relative risk ratios (RRR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI). At age 8, high UPF consumption was associated with low maternal social class, RRR = 2.22 (1.46–3.37), moderate maternal UPF consumption during pregnancy, RRR = 1.87 (1.35–2.58), high maternal UPF consumption during pregnancy, RRR = 3.47 (2.40–4.99), being male, RRR = 1.76 (1.34–2.30), and high children’s TV viewing, RRR = 1.76 (1.19–2.60). At age 12, high UPF consumption was associated with high maternal UPF consumption during pregnancy, RRR = 3.09 (1.27–7.50), and high children’s TV viewing, RRR = 2.34 (1.05–5.21), although it was inversely associated with maternal university education, RRR = 0.21 (0.06–0.69), and high children’s physical activity, RRR = 0.43 (0.20–0.93). Maternal factors such as high UPF consumption during pregnancy, low social class and low education level, and low physical activity and TV watching during childhood and adolescence, were predictors of higher UPF consumption at the age of 8 and 12 years.