Ultra-Processed Food Consumption and Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Children Living in Northeastern Brazil.

Objective: To analyze the association between ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption and cardiometabolic, biochemical, and inflammatory risk factors in children in a metropolis in Northeast Brazil.

Methods: A cross-sectional study using baseline data from a community-based controlled trial was carried out with 151 children from public schools in João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil aged 7 to 10 years. Dietary consumption was assessed using 24 h food recall, and UPF consumption was estimated using the NOVA classification system.