High versus low ultra-processed food (UPF) intake and health outcomes in children and adolescents:a scoping review
Year: 2025
Type: report
Study design: Systematic Review
Abstract: Background: This scoping review was commissioned by NHMRC as part of the revision of the 2013 Australian Dietary Guidelines. Ultra-processed foods (UPF) contain industrially manufactured food ingredients and/or have undergone industrial processing and are often characterised by their high content of refined sugars, unhealthy saturated and trans fats, additives and preservatives. The review intended to determine if there is sufficient, reliable evidence available to address research questions about UPF intake and long-term adverse outcomes in children and adolescents. Objectives: To identify studies evaluating high versus low intake of UPF and the incidence of anxiety, depression, asthma, dietary allergies or neurodevelopmental disorders in children and adolescents. Inclusion criteria: Prospective studies (cohort studies, nested case-control studies) in children and adolescents (not already diagnosed with the outcome(s) of interest) in any settings that measure the effects of different levels of UPF intake and the incidence of anxiety or depression, asthma, dietary allergies or neurodevelopmental disorders. Methods: The review was conducted in accordance with the JBI methodology for scoping reviews and adheres to the PRISMA-ScR reporting checklist. We searched PubMed, Embase, PsycInfo and Scopus in July 2025 for studies published in English from 2009 onwards. Records from ClinicalTrials.gov were searched for completed, unpublished or ongoing studies. Studies were screened independently in Covidence by two reviewers. Data were extracted in REDCap and included details about the participants, exposure, comparators, outcomes, context and study methods. Characteristics are presented for each study, and the body of evidence is summarised for key attributes. Results: Two prospective cohort studies, both conducted in Brazil, assessing the association between UPF intake in children and adolescents and the incidence of ADHD symptoms, or asthma or wheeze were identified. Conclusions: The evidence gap for reliable evidence about UPF intake and selected health outcomes in children and adolescents has been confirmed. There is insufficient evidence available to undertake a systematic review to address the Expert Committee’s research questions.
Authors: McDonald, Steve; id_orcid 0000-0003-2832-5205, Murano, Max; id_orcid 0000-0001-6354-2729, Govindaraju, Thara; id_orcid 0000-0002-0308-0849, Silk, Rachel, Owen, Alice J.; id_orcid 0000-0002-4807-6069, McCaffrey, Tracy; id_orcid 0000-0001-9699-3083, Bonham, Maxine P.; id_orcid 0000-0002-4854-1581
Institutions: The Alfred Hospital, Alfred Health
Language: English
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7225031155