Association between ultraprocessed foods consumption, eating disorders, food addiction and body image: a systematic review

Objective This study aimed to assess the association between ultraprocessed foods (UPF) consumption, eating disorders (EDs), food addiction and body image concerns.Design Systematic review following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines.Data sources Medline, S...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Cintia Curioni, Thamíris Pereira, Michel Carlos Mocellin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2024-12-01
Series:BMJ Open
Online Access:https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/14/12/e091223.full
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1841536637275734016
author Cintia Curioni
Thamíris Pereira
Michel Carlos Mocellin
author_facet Cintia Curioni
Thamíris Pereira
Michel Carlos Mocellin
author_sort Cintia Curioni
collection DOAJ
description Objective This study aimed to assess the association between ultraprocessed foods (UPF) consumption, eating disorders (EDs), food addiction and body image concerns.Design Systematic review following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines.Data sources Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, EMBASE, LILACS and APA PsycInfo databases, for studies published between 2009 and July 2024.Eligibility criteria We included cross-sectional and cohort studies involving individuals of all ages, evaluating the association between UPF consumption, classified by the ‘NOVA system’, EDs, food addiction and body image. No restrictions were placed on diagnostic criteria, age and gender. Studies that modelled UPF consumption as both an exposure and an outcome were included.Data extraction and synthesis Data extraction and quality assessment were performed by two independent reviewers. Methodological quality was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal checklist.Results We did not identify any longitudinal studies. Nine cross-sectional studies were included (n=54 367 participants). One study assessed EDs types, including restrictive, bulimic, binge eating and other (not otherwise specified); three studies examined body dissatisfaction, while five studies investigated food addiction. The consumption of UPF was significantly associated with bulimic, binge eating and other ED and food addiction. No significant associations were identified between restrictive ED and body dissatisfaction.Conclusion This systematic review highlights a significant gap in research on this topic. Although some associations have been found, the findings are limited to cross-sectional studies with methodological limitations. The lack of longitudinal studies emphasises the need for more rigorous research to accurately assess the direction of these relationships.PROSPERO registration number CRD42022365154.
format Article
id doaj-art-9755dd481d0e4382851f06cc683d8970
institution Kabale University
issn 2044-6055
language English
publishDate 2024-12-01
publisher BMJ Publishing Group
record_format Article
series BMJ Open
spelling doaj-art-9755dd481d0e4382851f06cc683d89702025-01-14T12:55:09ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552024-12-01141210.1136/bmjopen-2024-091223Association between ultraprocessed foods consumption, eating disorders, food addiction and body image: a systematic reviewCintia Curioni0Thamíris Pereira1Michel Carlos Mocellin21 Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil1 Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil2 Fundamental Nutrition, Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, BrazilObjective This study aimed to assess the association between ultraprocessed foods (UPF) consumption, eating disorders (EDs), food addiction and body image concerns.Design Systematic review following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines.Data sources Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, EMBASE, LILACS and APA PsycInfo databases, for studies published between 2009 and July 2024.Eligibility criteria We included cross-sectional and cohort studies involving individuals of all ages, evaluating the association between UPF consumption, classified by the ‘NOVA system’, EDs, food addiction and body image. No restrictions were placed on diagnostic criteria, age and gender. Studies that modelled UPF consumption as both an exposure and an outcome were included.Data extraction and synthesis Data extraction and quality assessment were performed by two independent reviewers. Methodological quality was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal checklist.Results We did not identify any longitudinal studies. Nine cross-sectional studies were included (n=54 367 participants). One study assessed EDs types, including restrictive, bulimic, binge eating and other (not otherwise specified); three studies examined body dissatisfaction, while five studies investigated food addiction. The consumption of UPF was significantly associated with bulimic, binge eating and other ED and food addiction. No significant associations were identified between restrictive ED and body dissatisfaction.Conclusion This systematic review highlights a significant gap in research on this topic. Although some associations have been found, the findings are limited to cross-sectional studies with methodological limitations. The lack of longitudinal studies emphasises the need for more rigorous research to accurately assess the direction of these relationships.PROSPERO registration number CRD42022365154.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/14/12/e091223.full
spellingShingle Cintia Curioni
Thamíris Pereira
Michel Carlos Mocellin
Association between ultraprocessed foods consumption, eating disorders, food addiction and body image: a systematic review
BMJ Open
title Association between ultraprocessed foods consumption, eating disorders, food addiction and body image: a systematic review
title_full Association between ultraprocessed foods consumption, eating disorders, food addiction and body image: a systematic review
title_fullStr Association between ultraprocessed foods consumption, eating disorders, food addiction and body image: a systematic review
title_full_unstemmed Association between ultraprocessed foods consumption, eating disorders, food addiction and body image: a systematic review
title_short Association between ultraprocessed foods consumption, eating disorders, food addiction and body image: a systematic review
title_sort association between ultraprocessed foods consumption eating disorders food addiction and body image a systematic review
url https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/14/12/e091223.full
work_keys_str_mv AT cintiacurioni associationbetweenultraprocessedfoodsconsumptioneatingdisordersfoodaddictionandbodyimageasystematicreview
AT thamirispereira associationbetweenultraprocessedfoodsconsumptioneatingdisordersfoodaddictionandbodyimageasystematicreview
AT michelcarlosmocellin associationbetweenultraprocessedfoodsconsumptioneatingdisordersfoodaddictionandbodyimageasystematicreview