Processed and ultra-processed food consumption are related to metabolic markers in hemodialysis subjects

Abstract

Objective To investigate the consumption of processed and ultra-processed foods and evaluate its relationship with the nutritional and metabolic status of hemodialysis patients in a single center in Brazil. Methods This cross-sectional study enrolled 73 individuals in hemodialysis (50 men and 23 women, 21-87 years-old). Clinical and lifestyle variables were assessed by a semi-structured questionnaire and dietary data by food frequency questionnaire. Anthropometric and metabolic data are collected from medical records. Results Processed and ultra-processed foods represented 11.0% of daily caloric intake, 53.0% of trans fatty acid, and 12.5% of salt consumed in the study sample. Individuals who had high intake of this food group (≥128.4g/day, median intake) had higher serum phosphorus and pre-dialysis urea values (p=0.038; p=0.013, respectively). Also, individual with higher consumption of processed meat, sausages and ready prepared food had higher pre-dialysis serum urea (p=0.021), while serum potassium was higher among the subjects who consumed more sauces and salt-based seasonings (p=0.002). Conclusion Higher consumption of processed and ultra-processed foods was associated with important biomarkers of metabolic control for hemodialysis subjects, probably due to non-health dietary composition. Nutritional guidelines and intervention strategies must be promoted to reduce consumption of these food-group in this specific population.