Consumption of ultra-processed foods and dietary patterns of children (6-12 years) in Obowo local government area Imo state, Nigeria

Background: Ultra-Processed Foods are packaged formulation resulting from several sequences of industrial processes; they are manufactured entirely from substance derived from foods and additives used to imitate sensory properties of foods and disguise unpalatable aspects of the final product. Objectives: This study examines the consumption of ultra-processed foods and dietary patterns of children (6-12years) in Obowo L.G.A, Imo State.Methods: The study was a cross-sectional study. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to select a total of 440 respondents for the survey. Data on socioeconomic/demographic characteristics, consumption of ultra-processed foods and dietary pattern of the respondents were collected using structured and validated questionnaires. The IBM SPSS version 23.0 was used to analyze the data. Data obtained were described using frequency and percentage.Results: Half (50.8%) of the respondents were females. Majority of the respondents (70.3%) were between the ages of 10-11years and 90.2% of them were Christians. Most of the respondent’s fathers (70.7%) completed only secondary education, while 60.9% of their mothers completed only secondary education. Majority of their fathers (70.7%) were traders and earned between ₦50,000-₦69,000 in a month, while most of their mothers (90.2%) were traders and earned between ₦50,000-₦69,000 in a month. Majority of the children (70.7%) were fed three times daily. Majority (70.7%) of the respondents consumed ultra-processed foods/drinks and most of them (59.0%) consumed it because it was always available. Most of the school children (88.3%) consumed snacks. Conclusion: This study showed a high daily consumption of some ultra-processed foods like instant noodles, biscuit and soft drinks by the children. There is need to raise awareness on healthy eating behaviors targeted at school children.