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Background Dietary patterns can influence maternal and child health outcomes. The study aims to characterize dietary patterns during pregnancy as well as to identify their associations with gestational weight gain (GWG) and anthropometric measurements at birth. Methods A minimum sample size of 95 nursing mothers was estimated for this work. Socioeconomic, anthropometric, physical activity, obstetric and food consumption (food frequency questionnaire) data was collected from mothers and their newborns in immediate postpartum (n = 260) at the maternity hospital. Maternal pregestational weight and GWG were self-reported and the neonatal data was obtained from their records. The patterns were derived posteriori by Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Multinomial Logistic Regression and Poisson Regression with Robust Variance were applied. Findings Four dietary patterns were derived: 'pattern 1', characterized by the consumption of meat and eggs, processed meat, vegetables and olive oil; 'pattern 2', consisting of sweets, snacks and cookies; 'pattern 3', which includes cereals and breads, coffee and tea, and processed fats; and 'pattern 4', characterized by soft drinks, tubers and instant noodles. Together, the dietary patterns account for 49.16% of the total variance for food intake. Higher adherence to 'pattern 3' was associated with inadequate birth weight (low and excessive birth weight); while greater adherence to 'pattern 2' was associated with lower chances of inadequate GWG. Conclusion The dietary patterns presented mixed composition and predominance of ultra-processed foods. They were associated with the investigated outcomes, denoting the importance of strategies to promote healthy eating habits during pregnancy in order to avoid possible complications., Author(s): Larissa Bueno Ferreira [sup.1] , Cecília Viana Lobo [sup.2] , Ariene Silva do Carmo [sup.1] , Rafaela Cristina Vieira e Souza [sup.1] , Luana Caroline dos Santos [sup.3] Author [...]

Objective: To evaluate the direct and indirect associations of obesogenic and leptogenic neighborhood environments with body fat, and pro- and anti-inflammatory adipokines in Brazilian children. Design: Cross-sectional study. The body fat distribution was assessed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Concentrations of leptin and adiponectin were measured. Four hundred meters (0·25 miles) road network buffer was the neighborhood unit used to assess the environmental characteristics around households. Obesogenic and leptogenic environments were the latent variables obtained from the observed characteristics. The mother's BMI, ultra-processed food consumption, and physical activity before and after school, were tested as mediating variables. A hybrid model of structural equations was used to test the direct and indirect associations of obesogenic and leptogenic environments with body fat, leptin and adiponectin concentrations. Setting: Urban area of Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Participants: Children aged 8- and 9-years (n 367). Results: Obesogenic environment was directly associated with the mother's BMI (β : 0·24, P = 0·02) and the child's body fat (β : 0·19, P = 0·02). The mother's BMI and body fat mediated the association of the obesogenic environment with leptin concentrations (β : 0·05, P = 0·02). Conclusions: Obesogenic neighborhood environment was directly associated with body fat and mother's BMI, and indirectly associated with leptin concentrations in Brazilian children, mediated by the mother's BMI and body fat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Cardiometabolic risk factors often emerge in childhood, increasing the risk of cardiovascular diseases in adulthood. The school environments represent an important active space in a child's routine and may influence their health status. Methods: In this cross‐sectional study, we aimed to evaluate the clustering of cardiometabolic risk factors and its association with the obesogenic and leptogenic environment around schools. A total of 378 children (181 boys; 197 girls) aged 8 and 9 years, enrolled in all urban schools of Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil, were evaluated. Concentrations of high‐density lipoprotein‐cholesterol (HDL‐c) and triglycerides (TG), and the insulin resistance (HOMA‐IR), waist circumference (WC), and mean arterial pressure (MAP) were measured. The neighborhood income, walkability index, predominantly ultra‐processed food stores, public spaces for leisure and/or physical activities, traffic accidents, crime and green spaces densities were assessed in 400 road network buffers around schools. To test association of the obesogenic and leptogenic environment around schools with cardiometabolic risk clustering, binary logistic regression models were performed with generalized estimating equations. Results: "Obesogenic school environments" had greater densities of ultra‐processed food stores, crime and traffic accidents, and higher walkability. The "↓ Atherogenic risk" cluster consisted of higher HDL‐c values. There was an inverse association between the obesogenic environment around schools and a child's "↓ atherogenic risk" clustering (OR = 0.63; p < 0.001). Conclusion: We concluded that public policies aimed at modifying the environment around schools, by providing healthier food options and safe conditions for active mobility, are essential to prevent child's atherogenic risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We aimed to evaluate the association of neighborhood obesogenic and leptogenic environments with cardiometabolic risk clustering among Brazilian schoolchildren, mediated by child's ultra-processed food consumption and the mother's body mass index (BMI). Methods: A total of 367 children aged 8–9 years, enrolled in urban schools of Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil, were evaluated. Waist circumference, insulin resistance, blood pressure, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, and triglycerides concentrations were measured. The child's ultra-processed food consumption assessment was performed by applying three 24-hour dietary recall. The mother's weight and height values were used to calculate the BMI. The neighborhood income, walkability index, predominantly ultra-processed food stores, public spaces for leisure, and/or physical activities, traffic accidents, crime, and green spaces densities were assessed in four hundred road network buffers around households. From neighborhood and cardiometabolic risk variables, four latent variables were obtained from confirmatory factor analysis: neighborhood “obesogenic”, and “leptogenic” environments; “high cardiometabolic risk,” and “low atherogenic risk”. A structural equation model was used to test the direct and indirect associations between neighborhood environment and cardiometabolic risk clusters. Results: The neighborhood obesogenic environment had a significant total association (Standardized Coefficient = 0.172, p = .011) and was indirectly associated with the child's “high cardiometabolic risk” cluster, mediated by the mother's body mass index (Standardized Coefficient = 0.066, p = .049). Conclusions: Our results reinforce the role of the urban environment on maternal obesity and child's cardiometabolic risk and provide evidence for public health policies aimed to prevent such conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to describe the community food environment of a Brazilian metropolis using secondary data from 2015. To construct this database, the State and Municipal Secretariat were asked to provide information on 12 types of food sales establishment in the city of Belo Horizonte. Establishments that were not common between the two databases were checked using the Google Street View database. The final database consisted of establishments that were virtually checked as well as existing establishments in the two secondary databases. The establishments included in the final database were categorized as healthy, unhealthy, or mixed according to the predominance of food sales. Unhealthy establishments are the most available in the food environment. Lower income areas have a lower availability of all types of establishment, particularly healthy ones. As income increases, there is an increase in the availability of mixed and unhealthy establishments. Understanding the food environment of cities is important for decision makers to identify places where the implementation of public equipment for food safety and nutrition is necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the association between the consumption of NOVA food groups (classification based on the nature, extent and purpose of food processing) and the intake of energy, macro and micronutrients among school children. Design: Cross-sectional study. Food consumption was assessed by two 24-h dietary recalls on non-consecutive days. Energy from each NOVA food groups – ultra-processed foods, unprocessed or minimally processed foods, processed culinary ingredients and processed foods – was estimated. For analysis, the percentage of energy from ultra-processed foods and unprocessed or minimally processed foods were categorised into tertiles and associated with intake of energy, macro and micronutrients using analysis of covariance and linear regression. Setting: Public schools in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Participants: School children aged 8–12 years (n 797; 406 girls; 391 boys). Results: Mean energy intake was 2050·18 ± 966·83 kcal/d, 25·8 % was from ultra-processed foods, 56·7 % from unprocessed or minimally processed foods, 8·9 % from processed culinary ingredients and 8·6 % from processed foods. A higher energy contribution from ultra-processed foods was negatively associated with the intake of protein, fibre, vitamin A, Fe and Zn (P < 0·001) and positively associated with total energy, lipid and Na intake (P < 0·001). Concurrently, a higher energy contribution from unprocessed or minimally processed foods was positively associated with the consumption of protein, fibre, Fe and Zn (P < 0·001) and negatively associated with total energy (P = 0·002), lipid and Na intake (P < 0·001). Conclusions: In conclusion, higher ultra-processed food consumption presented a negative association with the nutrient intake profile of school children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To examine the association between economic residential segregation and food environment. Design: Ecological: Food stores categorised according to the NOVA classification were geocoded, and absolute availability was calculated for each neighbourhood. Segregation was measured using local Gi* statistic, a measure of the sd between the economic composition of a neighbourhood (the proportion of heads of households in neighbourhoods earn monthly income of 0 to 3 minimum wages) and larger metropolitan area, weighted by the economic composition of surrounding neighbourhoods. Segregation was categorised as high (most segregated), medium (integrated) and low (less segregated or integrated). A proportional odds models were used to model the association between segregation and food environment. Setting: Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Participants: Food stores. Results: After adjustment for covariates, neighbourhoods characterised by high economic segregation had fewer food stores overall compared with neighbourhoods characterised by low segregation (OR = 0·56; 95 % CI (0·45, 0·69)). In addition, high segregated neighbourhoods were 49 % (OR = 0·51; 95 % CI (0·42, 0·61)) and 45 % (OR = 0·55; 95 % CI (0·45, 0·67)) less likely to have a high number of food stores that predominantly marketed ultra-processed foods and mixed food stores, respectively, as compared with their counterparts. Conclusions: Economic segregation is associated with differences in the distribution of food stores. Both low and high segregation territories should be prioritised by public policies to ensure healthy and adequate nutrition as a right for all communities. The former must continue to be protected from access to unhealthy commercial food outlets, while the latter must be the locus of actions that limit the availability of unhealthy commercial food store. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To evaluate the direct and indirect effects of family characteristics and the perceived neighborhood environment on obesity risks among schoolchildren. Methods: Through phone contact with the child's mothers/guardians, the perceptions about the aspects of the neighborhood that could limit or promote health. Physical activity, socioeconomic data, self‐reported weight and height, and ultra‐processed consumption of the respondents were evaluated, in addition to the screen time of both mothers and children. A hybrid model of structural equations was used to test the direct and indirect effects of family and environmental variables on childhood obesity. Setting: Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Subjects: A total of 322 children from 9 to 10 years old from municipal schools and their respective mothers/guardians. Results: Childhood obesity was positively associated with obesity among mothers/guardians and with the latent variable "socioeconomic status (SES)." It was observed that the child's guardians positively influenced childhood obesity through their own habits, such as screen time and consumption of ultra‐processed products, with obesity of mothers/guardians as mediators of both associations. There were no direct and indirect effects of the latent variables of the perceived environment in childhood obesity. Conclusion: Family characteristics are important determinants of childhood obesity and should be considered when designing prevention strategies. Parental perceptions of neighborhood characteristics did not have an influence on childhood obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To examine the association between urban food environment and regular consumption of fruits and vegetables (FV) by older adults from a medium-sized Brazilian city.Design: Cross-sectional study based on data related to (1) objective assessment of establishments with predominant sale of unprocessed/minimally processed foods, mixed establishments and establishments with predominant sale of ultra-processed foods; (2) regular consumption of FV (≥ 5 times/week), health and socio-demographic variables of community-dwelling older adults. Tertiles of proximity between food establishments and older adults' residence were calculated. Poisson generalised estimating equations with robust variance, adjusted for individual and contextual variables, were used to estimate the independent association between the proximity of establishments and regular consumption of FV.Setting: Medium-sized Brazilian city.Subjects: Representative sample of community-dwelling older adults (n 549).Results: Older adults travelled the longest distances to establishments with predominant sale of unprocessed/minimally processed foods. The longer the distance to establishments with predominant sale of unprocessed/minimally processed foods, the lower the prevalence of regular consumption of FV (tertile 2: prevalence ratio (PR) = 0·86; 95 % CI = 0·74, 0·99; tertile 3: PR = 0·84; 95 % CI = 0·72, 0·97). Older adults living larger distance tertiles from establishments with predominant sale of ultra-processed foods, mixed establishments or all categories of establishments had 16 % (PR = 0·84; 95 % CI = 0·73, 0·96), 19 % (PR = 0·81; 95 % CI = 0·71, 0·93) and 19 % (PR = 0·81; 95 % CI = 0·70, 0·94) lower prevalence of regular consumption of FV, respectively.Conclusion: The food environment is associated with regular consumption of FV among older adults. Longer distances from the residence of older adults to food establishments are independently associated with lower prevalence of regular consumption of FV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The purpose of this ecological study was to characterize the community food environment according to the socioeconomic condition of census tracts (CTs) in the urban area of a medium-sized city of southeastern Brazil in 2016.Method: Food establishments were identified on the streets covered by raters and information about type was collected through objective assessment. Geocoding was carried out from address observed by raters. Food establishments were categorized into establishments with predominant sale of natural or minimally processed foods, mixed establishments, and establishments with predominant sale of ultra-processed foods. The distribution of the number of establishments, by category, was evaluated according to tertiles of per capita income of the CT. The kernel estimation was used to analyze the density of establishments by category. The spatial pattern of the categories of establishments was investigated using the univariate Ripley's K-function.Results: A total of 656 establishments were evaluated. In all, 11.1% had predominant sale of natural or minimally processed foods, 44.5% were mixed, and 44.4% had predominant sale of ultra-processed foods. The average of establishments with predominant sale of natural or minimally processed foods, of ultra-processed foods, and all categories increased according to the income of the CT. There was a clustering of all categories of establishments in high-income CTs downtown. However, peripheral and low-income CTs were composed of a higher number of mixed establishments or those with predominant sale of ultra-processed foods than establishments with predominant sale of natural or minimally processed foods.Conclusions: On average, the number of all categories of establishments increased according to the per capita income of the CT and were clustered in central and higher-income regions of the city. These findings may have practical implications for the development of public policies to increase the availability of healthy foods and to reduce the sale of unhealthy foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The food environment around schools may influence the food consumption and health outcomes of children and adolescents. We conducted a cross-sectional exploratory census study in Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil, to investigate the food environment in the neighborhoods of schools. Schools were classified according to administration (public/private), location (central/peripheral), and neighborhood socioeconomic vulnerability. The density of food stores around schools was divided into four categories: i) only or mainly selling unprocessed or minimally processed food, ii) mixed, iii) only or mainly selling ultra-processed food, and iv) supermarkets and hypermarkets. We calculated the Euclidian distances (m) from schools to each nearest establishment category and plotted circular buffers of 250, 500, and 1000 m radius around schools to evaluate the density of food stores inside the circular areas. A total of 316 schools and 4,690 establishments were included in the study. We found that the closest establishment category around schools was those selling only or mainly ultra-processed food. Schools were situated where there was a concentration of food stores; being in the central district was the most influential factor with regard to their presence around schools. Moreover, the density of food stores around schools decreased as the district’s vulnerability increased. To fight against an obesogenic environment around schools, public policies are needed to regulate the commodities being sold nearby. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Revista da Associação Brasileira de Nutrição is the property of Associacao Brasileira de Nutricao and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista da Associação Brasileira de Nutrição is the property of Associacao Brasileira de Nutricao and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Sugar-sweetened beverages are widely available and accessible in school environment, and their presence and characteristics of this environment can influence their consumption. This study examines the association of drinking fountains per 100 students, soft drink sales, soft drink advertising, and the presence of street vendors and sugar-sweetened beverages consumption among adolescents in Brazil. This cross-sectional study was carried out using data from the Study of Cardiovascular Risk in Adolescents that was conducted between March 2013 and December 2014. The sample comprised 71,475 adolescents aged 12-17 years from 1,247 public and private schools in Brazilian cities. Sugar-sweetened beverages consumption was the dependent variable. The main effect was the school food environment, which was evaluated based on drinking fountains per 100 students, soft drink sales, soft drink advertising, and the presence of street vendors. Public and private schools that sold soft drinks were associated with higher average sugar-sweetened beverages consumption among adolescents. Our study highlights the importance of creating healthy school food environments by banning sugar-sweetened beverages in schools accordingly., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Rocha, Pessoa, Gratão, Carmo, Cordeiro, Cunha, Oliveira and Mendes.)