Consumption of Unprocessed and Ultraprocessed Foods in Adolescents with Obesity: Associations with Neuroendocrine Mediators of Appetite Regulation and Binge Eating Symptoms.

Lower consumption of unprocessed foods was associated with higher ghrelin concentrations in adolescents with obesity.

• The association between lower unprocessed food consumption and higher ghrelin was statistically significant (p = 0.023).
• Adolescents in the lowest tertile of unprocessed food consumption had higher ghrelin compared to those in the second tertile.
• This finding was observed in a cross-sectional study of 96 adolescents with obesity recruited in São Paulo, Brazil between 2010 and 2012.

Lower consumption of unprocessed foods was associated with a greater percentage of body fat and reduced percentage of lean mass.

• Greater percentage of body fat was associated with lower unprocessed food consumption (p = 0.047).
• Reduced percentage of lean mass was also associated with lower unprocessed food consumption (p = 0.047).
• These differences were observed when comparing adolescents in the lowest tertile to those in the second tertile of unprocessed food consumption.

AgRP was a positive predictor of annual consumption score of ultraprocessed foods, independent of confounding variables.

• AgRP (agouti-related peptide) positively predicted the annual consumption score of ultraprocessed foods (β = 0.30; p = 0.04).
• This association was independent of age, body fat, and binge eating symptoms.
• AgRP is an orexigenic neuropeptide measured along with ghrelin, leptin, NPY, MCH, and α-MSH in this study.

The study assessed a comprehensive panel of neuroendocrine appetite mediators in adolescents with obesity.

• Serum levels of ghrelin, leptin, neuropeptide Y (NPY), agouti-related peptide (AgRP), melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH), and alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH) were analyzed.
• The sample consisted of 96 adolescents with obesity.
• Dietary intake was assessed using a validated Food Frequency Questionnaire with items classified according to the Nova system, and frequency data were converted into annual consumption scores.
• Binge eating symptoms were evaluated using the Binge Eating Scale (BES).

The study was designed as a cross-sectional investigation of adolescents with obesity in Brazil.

• Participants were recruited in São Paulo, Brazil, between 2010 and 2012.
• The total sample size was 96 adolescents with obesity.
• Anthropometric and body composition assessments were performed in addition to dietary and hormonal analyses.
• Food items were classified according to the Nova system, which distinguishes unprocessed from ultraprocessed foods.