ABSTRACT

Ultra-processed foods are products of foods and additives, with the addition of substances like colorings, flavorings, sweeteners and emulsiflers which are used to make the products appear palatable to consumers. They are characterized by fatty, sugary or salty, energy-dense compounds with little or no intact food nutrients like protein, dietary fiber, micronutrients and other bio- active compounds. Moreover, they may contain neo-forrned contaminants as a result of industrial processing and packaging. In the past decades, ultra-processed foods have been on the increase, majorly, due to transnational corporations who drive the production and sales of ultra-processed foods along with their convenience, branding and aggressive marketing. This has created a massive market advantages for ultra-processed foods over other food groups. Objectives of the study were to assess the rate of purchase and consumption of ultra-processed food and drinks among adolescents in Umuahia North L. G. A of Abia State in relation to their anthropometric status and evaluate the relationship between consumption pattern and anthropometric status. A community based descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with 420 adolescents in the six wards selected from the twelve wards that are in Umuahia North LGA, Abia State, Nigeria. Socio demographic, anthropometric and food consumption data were analyzed using SPSS version 23. The result showed that majority (51 .4%) of the adolescents studied were females while 48.6% were males. About 64.0% of the adolescents were within the age range of 13-l5years while 30.2% were within the age range of 16-l8years and 5.7% were above l9years. Instant noodles were consumed most (53.8%) sometimes. Most (75.5%), of the respondents consumed soft drinks sometimes. Packaged bread (50.0), cakes (81.9%), and Breakfast cereals (62.5%), were consumed the most sometimes. A huge number never consumed flavored yoghurt (22.1%), salted/sugar nuts (20.0%), hamburger (30.5%), canned beer (3 1.2%) respectively. Most of the respondents were of normal weight (57.45), and a greater percentage were underweight (35.5%) . Underweight was more prevalent in females (39.8%), than in males (31.1%), while 5.2% were overweight and 1.9% of the respondents were obese. The chi-square result indicated that there was no significant relationship between normal body weight and consumption of instant noodles (p>O.O7l), soft drinks (p>O.349), packaged bread (p>O.062), cakes (p>O.071) and BMI. The study suggested that there were a higher percentage of adolescents with normal body weight irrespective of their rate of consumption of ultra-processed foods. Moreover there may be other factors interrupting the direct relationship of these variables. Recommendations would include more awareness of the effect of ultra-processed foods to the body and implementation of policies that encourage production and consumption of more healthy foods.