Peer-reviewed article
Impact of ultra-processed food consumption during pregnancy on maternal and child health outcomes: A comprehensive narrative review of the past five years.
Maria Morales-Suarez-Varela, Oscar Andrés Rocha-Velasco ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This review examined studies from 2019-2024 on how ultra-processed food consumption during pregnancy affects the health of mothers and children. The analysis of 22 studies found that high consumption of ultra-processed foods during pregnancy is linked to gestational diabetes, excessive weight gain, high blood pressure, poor nutrition, and inflammation in pregnant women. In children, it was associated with poor growth, excess weight gain, and potential mental health problems.
Key points
- High ultra-processed food consumption during pregnancy was positively associated with gestational diabetes mellitus
- Associated with gestational weight gain, poor glycemic control, and hypertensive disorders in pregnant women
- Linked to adverse child outcomes including adiposity gain, poor nutrition indicators, and potential adverse mental disorders
- Negatively impacted child growth and development and overall diet quality
- Only 22 eligible studies were found from 767 identified, indicating limited research in this area
Limitations
This is a narrative review synthesizing existing literature rather than conducting new research, so it cannot establish causation or provide precise quantitative evidence. The limited number of eligible studies (22 from 767 screened) suggests the evidence base is still developing and may not represent all populations or contexts.
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS: Ultra-processed foods (UPF) are increasingly prevalent in modern diets and are associated with negative health outcomes such as chronic diseases due to their high processing and low nutrient density. Despite the potential impact of UPF intake during pregnancy on maternal and child health, studies in this area are limited. Therefore, this narrative comprehensive review aimed to identify associations between UPF consumption, categorized by the NOVA system, during pregnancy and maternal and child health outcomes over the past five years (2019-2024). METHODS: Following PRISMA-ScR criteria (2018), MedLine/PubMed, Scopus, and Embase databases were searched for articles on maternal and child health outcomes associated with UPF consumption categorized by the NOVA system during pregnancy, out of 767 studies identified, 22 were eligible. RESULTS: Overall, high UPF consumption during pregnancy was positively associated with various adverse maternal-child outcomes, including gestational diabetes mellitus, gestational weight gain, poor glycemic control, negative nutrition biomarkers, inflammatory markers, and hypertensive disorders during pregnancy. It also negatively impacted child growth and development, and was associated with adiposity gain, potential adverse mental disorders, indicators of poor nutrition, and poor overall diet quality. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the limited data, high consumption of UPF during pregnancy adversely affected the health outcomes of both mothers and children, impacting nutrition indicators and diet quality. Further studies on this topic are needed. Promoting healthy eating habits among pregnant women is crucial for achieving optimal health outcomes.