Consumption of ultra-processed foods and its impact on health outcomes in hemodialysis patients: a prospective observational study

AimThe present study aims to evaluate the association between the consumption of ultra-processed foods and negative outcomes in hemodialysis (HD) patients.MethodsThe sample consisted of individuals of both sexes, aged ≥ 18 years. At the time of inclusion in the study, participants responded to information about food consumption. The 24-h food recall was used to estimate food consumption. The Nova classification was adopted for the qualitative evaluation of foods in four groups: in nature, minimally processed, processed and ultra-processed. Patients were followed for 6 months, and the combined outcomes, defined as the occurrence of either hospitalization or mortality from all causes, was assessed.ResultsOf the 137 hemodialysis patients evaluated, 25.5% presented combined outcomes (hospitalization or all-cause mortality). The consumption of ultra-processed foods was high (82.5%), although the multiple logistic regression analysis did not demonstrate a statistically significant association between the consumption of these foods and the outcomes. The odds ratio (OR) for the consumption of ultra-processed foods was 0.15 (95% CI: 0.00–6.24; p = 0.319) in the adjusted model. None of the other food groups, according to the NOVA classification, showed a significant association with the analyzed outcomes.ConclusionFood consumption according to the Nova classification was not associated with outcomes in HD patients. However, it was possible to verify in this population a high consumption of ultra-processed foods, accompanied by low caloric and protein intake.