Frequency and Determinants of Ultra-Processed Foods in the Lunchboxes of Under-12 Students in Urban Pakistan: A Cross-Sectional Survey: Determinants of Ultra-Processed Foods in the Lunchboxes of Under-12 Students

Sadia Rafiq

doi:10.54393/pbmj.v9i5.1392

Authors

Sadia Rafiq Department of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Management and Technology, Lahore, Pakistan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54393/pbmj.v9i5.1392

Keywords:

Ultra-processed Foods, School-aged Children, Lunchbox Contents, Nutrition Transition, Health Literacy

Abstract

Ultra-processed foods are taking the place of traditional foods in children's diets. As frequent consumption of UPFs during childhood is associated with many nutrition-related diseases, the evidence for the consumption of such foods by school-going children in Pakistan is limited. Objectives: To determine the frequency of ultra-processed foods in the lunchboxes of children under 12 years in densely populated cities of Pakistan and identify the demographic, socioeconomic, parental, and school-related factors that are associated with their inclusion. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 287 parents of children aged 5–12 years from six major Pakistani cities. A bilingual questionnaire was used to check the contents in the lunchboxes, nutritional knowledge and label-reading practices of parents, and sociodemographic characteristics. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Chi-square tests in SPSS version 26.0. To check significance, p<0.050 was considered statistically significant. Results: It was reported that 59.9% of children frequently consumed ultra-processed foods. Higher UPF consumption was significantly associated with lower parental education, lower household income, limited nutrition knowledge, and infrequent nutrition label reading (p<0.050). No significant associations were observed with child age, gender, school type, or grade level. Conclusions: The consumption of ultra-processed foods is very prevalent among Pakistani schoolchildren living in cities, strongly influenced by low socioeconomic status and poor nutritional literacy of parents. To encourage healthier lunchbox choices and reduce UPF intake, we need to focus on parents’ nutrition education and making stronger nutritional policies in schools.

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