AUTHOR=López-Gil José Francisco , García-Hermoso Antonio , Tárraga-López Pedro Juan , Brazo-Sayavera Javier 

TITLE=Dietary Patterns, Adherence to the Food-Based Dietary Guidelines, and Ultra-Processed Consumption During the COVID-19 Lockdown in a Sample of Spanish Young Population

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Pediatrics

VOLUME=9

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pediatrics/articles/10.3389/fped.2021.702731

DOI=10.3389/fped.2021.702731

ISSN=2296-2360

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Purpose:</bold> The aim of this study was to explore the dietary patterns, adherence to Food-Based Dietary Guidelines, and the ultra-processed consumption during the COVID-19 lockdown among a Spanish young population aged 3–17 years.</p><p><bold>Methods:</bold> Parents/legal guardians of preschoolers, children, and adolescents aged 3–17 years were enrolled through social networks. The eating habits were assessed by a Food Propensity Questionnaire applied in the ENALIA (<italic>Encuesta Nacional de Alimentación en la población Infantil y Adolescente</italic>) Spanish survey, which aims to collect food intake information and other data about eating habits on children and adolescents (0–18 years old). Participants were dichotomized following the Food-Based Dietary Guidelines for the Spanish young population offered by the Spanish Society of Community Nutrition. The ultra-processed food score was determined following the principles established in the NOVA classification.</p><p><bold>Results:</bold> Data from 604 children and adolescents were included. An association between age group and the recommendations of snacks (<italic>p</italic> = 0.002), fruits (<italic>p</italic> = 0.010), and diaries (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001) was found. Adolescents showed a lower mean compliance with these guidelines than children (<italic>p</italic> = 0.004) and preschoolers (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001). Similarly, children reported lower Food-Based Dietary Guidelines than preschoolers (<italic>p</italic> = 0.015). Regarding ultra-processed consumption, it was also observed a higher intake in adolescents than in children (<italic>p</italic> = 0.037), as well as in preschoolers (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001).</p><p><bold>Conclusions:</bold> The associations that were found highlight the low proportion of the young population (especially adolescents) meeting the Food-Based Dietary Guidelines and the high consumption of ultra-processed foods during COVID-19 lockdown.</p>