The consumption of ultra-processed foods has increased consistently among traditional peoples and communities in Brazil, while foods historically present in their diets, such as fruits and beans, have lost ground.

This is the conclusion of a study that investigated the consumption of ultra-processed foods among 21 traditional communities, including quilombolas, riverine communities, agro-extractivists, communities of Afro-Brazilian religions, Romani people, artisanal fishermen, caiçaras (traditional coastal communities in Brazil, mainly found along the Atlantic Forest coastline), and non-settled indigenous peoples.

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The research was coordinated by professor and nutritionist Greyceanne Dutra Brito, a doctoral candidate in public health at the Federal University of Ceará (UFC), based on data from 2015 to 2022 from the Ministry of Health’s Food and Nutrition Surveillance System (SISVAN).

Although the results vary among the groups analyzed, the researchers consider the overall picture to be unfavorable. Most of the groups surveyed live in rural areas and grow their own food through family farming.

Among children aged two to four, consumption of hamburgers and processed meats increased by 3.87 percent between 2015 and 2022. Among children aged five to nine, consumption rose by 5.59 percent.

Among pregnant teenagers, there was a decline in the consumption of both healthy and unhealthy foods. Among healthy foods, there was a 3.65 percent annual decrease in bean consumption and a 2.9 percent annual decrease in fresh fruit consumption.

“And among unhealthy foods, we observed a reduction in the consumption of ultra-processed foods by 1.18 percent, sweetened beverages by 3.22 percent, and filled cookies, candies, or sweets by 3.31 percent per year,” explains Brito.

Among pregnant women, a 2.11 percent annual decrease in fresh fruit consumption was also observed. In contrast, there was a small 0.71 percent increase in vegetable consumption. “But at least there was that increase,” she noted.

Among adults, an increase in the consumption of hamburgers and processed meats was observed, at 4.7 percent per year, although the increase in vegetables and legumes grew by 3.3 percent per year. The same trend was observed among the elderly, with the increase in hamburgers and processed meats reaching 5.84 percent per year and the increase in vegetable consumption at 1.78 percent.

During the period analyzed, the researchers observed that these populations’ access to ultra-processed foods had become much easier, partly due to increased mobility. Brito pointed out that, in addition, there are socioeconomic factors at play, due to the low cost of these foods, as well as their appeal in advertising and the use of food delivery apps.

“In short, all this intense advertising exposure can reach these areas as well,” she added.

Diet deterioration

According to Brito, frequent consumption of ultra-processed foods can lead to nutritional deficiencies, including iron, fiber, vitamin, and mineral deficiencies, and is associated with a higher risk of developing chronic noncommunicable diseases such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular diseases, as well as obesity.

The study is considered pioneering in its assessment of temporal trends in dietary consumption markers among traditional peoples and communities across the country. In Brito’s view, the findings contribute to the advancement of scientific literature and can support the strengthening of public policies aimed at promoting healthy and sustainable diets.

Among possible measures, the nutritionist highlighted the regulation of the sale of ultra-processed foods and the development of food and nutrition education strategies targeted at the populations studied.

Territories

Ensuring healthy food consumption for the populations studied is also linked to securing access to these territories, the nutritionist explains.

“Growing their own food would be one of the first things to address. Because, once ultra-processed foods become part of these populations’ daily lives, they have, in a way, easier access in these mostly rural territories. So, if this food leaves the city and reaches the countryside, it’s because this trade already exists,” she says.

Brito noted that if the consumption of ultra-processed foods is increasing over time, it means these populations have been suffering from a lack of food security for longer, which ultimately also harms the health professionals working in these regions.

The study will be officially released on May 11, with publication in the journal Ciência & Saúde Coletiva.