Exploring the relationship between ultra-processed food consumption and gut microbiota at school age in a Brazilian birth cohort

Abstract: Dietary patterns significantly impact health outcomes and gut microbiota composition. However, longitudinal studies associating ultra-processed food consumption with gut microbiota composition, especially among adolescents in low- and middle-income countries, are lacking. This study aimed...

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Main Authors: Etiene Dias Alves, Marina Xavier Carpena, Aluísio J. D. Barros, Elena M. Comelli, Lorena López-Domínguez, Robert H. J. Bandsma, Iná da Silva dos Santos, Alicia Matijasevich, Juliana dos Santos Vaz, Romina Buffarini, Isabel Oliveira Bierhals, Maria Carolina Borges, Luciana Tovo-Rodrigues
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz 2025-03-01
Series:Cadernos de Saúde Pública
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Online Access:http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0102-311X2025000201408&lng=en&tlng=en
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author Etiene Dias Alves
Marina Xavier Carpena
Aluísio J. D. Barros
Elena M. Comelli
Lorena López-Domínguez
Robert H. J. Bandsma
Iná da Silva dos Santos
Alicia Matijasevich
Juliana dos Santos Vaz
Romina Buffarini
Isabel Oliveira Bierhals
Maria Carolina Borges
Luciana Tovo-Rodrigues
author_facet Etiene Dias Alves
Marina Xavier Carpena
Aluísio J. D. Barros
Elena M. Comelli
Lorena López-Domínguez
Robert H. J. Bandsma
Iná da Silva dos Santos
Alicia Matijasevich
Juliana dos Santos Vaz
Romina Buffarini
Isabel Oliveira Bierhals
Maria Carolina Borges
Luciana Tovo-Rodrigues
author_sort Etiene Dias Alves
collection DOAJ
description Abstract: Dietary patterns significantly impact health outcomes and gut microbiota composition. However, longitudinal studies associating ultra-processed food consumption with gut microbiota composition, especially among adolescents in low- and middle-income countries, are lacking. This study aimed to explore this association using data collected from 364 participants at ages 6, 11, and 12 years from the 2004 Pelotas (Brazil) Birth Cohort. Microbiota data was obtained at age 12 after 16S rRNA gene sequencing of self-collected fecal samples. Linear or logistic regression models evaluated the relationship between age groups and gut microbiota outcomes (alpha diversity, beta diversity and relative abundances at the phylum and genus levels), considering dietary covariates and demographic, socioeconomic, health-related, and behavioral factors. No significant associations between ultra-processed food consumption and alpha diversity were observed after multiple testing corrections, and there was no strong evidence linking ultra-processed food consumption and beta diversity, with unweighted metrics explaining little variance at ages 11 and 12. Nominal associations were found between ultra-processed food and relative abundances of Actinobacteria (p = 0.032) and Proteobacteria (p = 0.045) (phyla), Bacteroides (p = 0.037 at age 6; p = 0.015 at age 11) and Peptostreptococcus (p = 0.025 at age 6; p = 0.010 at age 11) (genera). However, these associations lost statistical significance after adjustments for multiple comparisons. These findings highlight the need for more longitudinal studies to better understand the complex interaction between ultra-processed food intake and gut microbiota composition in adolescent populations in low- and middle-income countries.
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spelling doaj-art-7212fe54c8004bbe95b74d465ff9f7412025-08-20T02:26:02ZengEscola Nacional de Saúde Pública, Fundação Oswaldo CruzCadernos de Saúde Pública1678-44642025-03-0141210.1590/0102-311xen094424Exploring the relationship between ultra-processed food consumption and gut microbiota at school age in a Brazilian birth cohortEtiene Dias Alveshttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-1185-8972Marina Xavier Carpenahttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-4690-5791Aluísio J. D. Barroshttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-2022-8729Elena M. Comellihttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-5201-5437Lorena López-Domínguezhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-5889-3986Robert H. J. Bandsmahttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-6358-4750Iná da Silva dos Santoshttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-1258-9249Alicia Matijasevichhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-0060-1589Juliana dos Santos Vazhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-2880-767XRomina Buffarinihttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-6905-8767Isabel Oliveira Bierhalshttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-8739-8669Maria Carolina Borgeshttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-7785-4547Luciana Tovo-Rodrigueshttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-8732-6059Abstract: Dietary patterns significantly impact health outcomes and gut microbiota composition. However, longitudinal studies associating ultra-processed food consumption with gut microbiota composition, especially among adolescents in low- and middle-income countries, are lacking. This study aimed to explore this association using data collected from 364 participants at ages 6, 11, and 12 years from the 2004 Pelotas (Brazil) Birth Cohort. Microbiota data was obtained at age 12 after 16S rRNA gene sequencing of self-collected fecal samples. Linear or logistic regression models evaluated the relationship between age groups and gut microbiota outcomes (alpha diversity, beta diversity and relative abundances at the phylum and genus levels), considering dietary covariates and demographic, socioeconomic, health-related, and behavioral factors. No significant associations between ultra-processed food consumption and alpha diversity were observed after multiple testing corrections, and there was no strong evidence linking ultra-processed food consumption and beta diversity, with unweighted metrics explaining little variance at ages 11 and 12. Nominal associations were found between ultra-processed food and relative abundances of Actinobacteria (p = 0.032) and Proteobacteria (p = 0.045) (phyla), Bacteroides (p = 0.037 at age 6; p = 0.015 at age 11) and Peptostreptococcus (p = 0.025 at age 6; p = 0.010 at age 11) (genera). However, these associations lost statistical significance after adjustments for multiple comparisons. These findings highlight the need for more longitudinal studies to better understand the complex interaction between ultra-processed food intake and gut microbiota composition in adolescent populations in low- and middle-income countries.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0102-311X2025000201408&lng=en&tlng=enGut MicrobiotaUltra-Processed FoodAdolescenceCohort StudiesActinobacteria
spellingShingle Etiene Dias Alves
Marina Xavier Carpena
Aluísio J. D. Barros
Elena M. Comelli
Lorena López-Domínguez
Robert H. J. Bandsma
Iná da Silva dos Santos
Alicia Matijasevich
Juliana dos Santos Vaz
Romina Buffarini
Isabel Oliveira Bierhals
Maria Carolina Borges
Luciana Tovo-Rodrigues
Exploring the relationship between ultra-processed food consumption and gut microbiota at school age in a Brazilian birth cohort
Cadernos de Saúde Pública
Gut Microbiota
Ultra-Processed Food
Adolescence
Cohort Studies
Actinobacteria
title Exploring the relationship between ultra-processed food consumption and gut microbiota at school age in a Brazilian birth cohort
title_full Exploring the relationship between ultra-processed food consumption and gut microbiota at school age in a Brazilian birth cohort
title_fullStr Exploring the relationship between ultra-processed food consumption and gut microbiota at school age in a Brazilian birth cohort
title_full_unstemmed Exploring the relationship between ultra-processed food consumption and gut microbiota at school age in a Brazilian birth cohort
title_short Exploring the relationship between ultra-processed food consumption and gut microbiota at school age in a Brazilian birth cohort
title_sort exploring the relationship between ultra processed food consumption and gut microbiota at school age in a brazilian birth cohort
topic Gut Microbiota
Ultra-Processed Food
Adolescence
Cohort Studies
Actinobacteria
url http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0102-311X2025000201408&lng=en&tlng=en
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