Ultra-processed food consumption is not associated with household food waste in Italian adults: a cross-sectional study

Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are increasingly consumed worldwide, but their relationship with household food waste remains unclear. This cross-sectional study examined this association in 200 Italian adults using the NOVA Food Frequency Questionnaire and a 3-day weighted household food waste diary. UPFs accounted for 21.2% of total food consumption by weight, and 44.5% of participants reported food waste during the observation period. UPF intake did not differ according to food waste occurrence, and neither food waste prevalence nor quantity varied across UPF intake quartiles. Multivariable analyses showed no association between UPF consumption and either the odds of reporting food waste or the mean amount discarded among participants reporting waste. Higher household food expenditure was associated with higher odds of food waste, while older age and higher educational level were associated with greater waste quantities. Household food waste appears more strongly related to socio-demographic and household characteristics than to habitual UPF consumption.