• Anna Caroline Pereira Vivi, Talita Rodrigues Azevedo-Silva, Daniela Neri, Maria Wany Louzada Strufaldi, Cibele Wolf Lebrão, FonsecaFernando Luiz AffonsoFLAAdjunct Professor at Federal University of São Paulo Diadema, São Paulo, Brazil, and Full Professor at ABC School of Medicine; Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Paulista School of Medicine, Federal University of, SarniRoseli Oselka SaccardoROSFull Professor, Department of Pediatrics, ABC School of Medicine and Researcher of the Pediatrics Department, Paulista School of Medicine, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil., and Fabíola Isabel Suano-Souza.
• Graduate student at the Paulista School of Medicine, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
• Nutrition. 2022 Jul 1; 99-100: 111649.

ObjectivesThis study aimed to examine associations between consumption of ultraprocessed food (UPF) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in a sample of term and preterm infants.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, 43 preterm infants (<34 wk), chronological age between 9 and 24 mo, were compared with a group of 47 healthy term infants of the same age. Data were collected on dietary intake, anthropometric measures, and serum CRP level (mg/L). The main exposure of interest was the consumption of UPF (excluding all types of milk), measured as the percentage of total energy intake.ResultsThe mean birth weight, gestational age, and corrected age were 1,245 ± 381.7 g, 29.9 ± 2.3 wk, and 14.3 ± 6.4 mo, respectively, in the preterm group. Infants in the preterm group consumed UPF less frequently (27-67.5% versus 40-87.0%; P = 0.038) but in a greater amount relative to total energy intake (39.8% [19.1-59.1%]) versus 29.0% (14.5- 41.9%; P = 0.040) when compared with the term group. There was no statistically significant difference between the preterm and term groups regarding CRP levels. The consumption of UPF (percentage of energy intake) was independently associated with CRP levels (β = 0.007; 95% CI, 0.001-0.014; P = 0.034). A significant interaction between being born preterm and UPF consumption was found for CRP levels (P = 0.049). Breast-feeding was not associated with lower consumption of UPF in both groups (24-75.0% versus 43-79.6%; P = 0.404).ConclusionsThere is a positive relationship between UPF and CRP levels among infants, irrespective of excess weight. At the clinical practice level, a better comprehension of the associations between food processing and chronic inflammation may aid in individual dietary guidance.Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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