ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Nutr.
Sec. Nutritional Epidemiology
Volume 12 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fnut.2025.1577431
Ultra-Processed Food Intake and Its Association with Obesity Risk Factors, Mediterranean Diet, and Nutrient Intake of Adults
Provisionally accepted
- Department of Food and Nutrition, Faculty of Human Sciences and Designs, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
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Purpose: Growing awareness highlights ultra-processed food (UPF) as a risk factor for diet-related illnesses. UPF intake is reportedly linked to overweight and obesity statuses; however, this relationship remains unexplored in the Saudi population. In this study, we examined the association between UPF consumption and obesity indicators.Methods: This study included 190 Saudi participants aged 18-25 years from King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Dietary data from two 24-h recalls were classified using the NOVA system. Multiple linear and logistic regression models assessed associations between UPF intake (quartiles) and body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, overweight status (BMI >25 kg/m²) and abdominal obesity (waist circumference ≥88 cm for females; ≥102 cm for males). Models were adjusted for sociodemographic and lifestyle factors.Results: UPF consumption was associated with a 30.2% higher BMI, a 23% increase in mean waist circumference, and higher odds of having BMI >25 kg/m² and abdominal obesity (OR = 2.966; 95% CI: 1.86, 4.21; OR = 2.610; 95% CI: 1.46, 3.97, respectively). Increased UPF intake correlated with higher BMI, waist circumference, weight, and hip circumference in both sexes.Conclusions: Higher UPF consumption is associated with obesity in Saudi adults. Further studies, including intervention trials, are essential to clarify the relationship between UPF intake and health outcomes. Policymakers should promote the consumption of unprocessed or minimally processed foods while limiting UPF intake.
Keywords: Ultra-Processed foods, mediterranean diet, NOVA classification, Obesity, Dietary patterns, Saudi adults, nutrient intake
Received: 24 Mar 2025; Accepted: 11 Jul 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Alomari and Almoraie. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Noha M Almoraie, Department of Food and Nutrition, Faculty of Human Sciences and Designs, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
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