Background: Over time, there have been significant changes in the dietary patterns of the Chinese population with the emergence of ultra-processed foods (UPFs).
Methods: To ascertain the changes in UPFs intake among adults in southern China, over the past two decades, the study included residents aged 18 years and older who participated in the China National Nutrition Surveys in Guangdong province in 2002, 2012, and 2022. Dietary intake data were collected via three-day 24 h dietary recalls and weighing household foods and condiments.