Local Food Environment and Consumption of Ultra-Processed Foods: Cross-Sectional Data from the Nutritionists’ Health Study—NutriHS

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze whether community food environments are associated with individual food consumption among nutrition students and newly graduated nutritionists. This cross-sectional study used data from the Nutritionists’ Health Study cohort, which included 357 undergraduate nutrition students from the city of Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil. Exposure to the food environment was defined as the proximity and availability of food outlets within a 500 m buffer from the participants’ homes. Food consumption was assessed using a Food Frequency Questionnaire and analyzed according to the NOVA classification. Multi-level linear regression models with fixed effects were used to estimate the presence of food outlets within the buffer and their association with food consumption. The presence of mini-markets in the buffer in the fourth quartile was associated with lower consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPF) when observing socioeconomic and lifestyle conditions (β = −3.29; 95% CI = −6.39 to −0.19). The presence of bakeries and coffee shops was related to lower consumption of ultra-processed foods among participants when observing socioeconomic conditions (β = −3.10; 95% CI = −6.18 to −0.02). There was no clear evidence of an association between the type of food outlet and UPF consumption. The community food environment seemed to influence food consumption among study participants, although clearer and more consistent evidence on this subject is needed.