Investigating Ultra-Processed Food Intake and Mortality: A Project

This research project investigates the association between ultra-processed food intake and mortality, primarily focusing on a Spanish population. It explores the health impacts of ultra-processed foods, including their potential to increase the risk of cardiovascular and other diseases. The study employs a cohort design, following participants from a 1991 baseline and collecting dietary information using a frequency questionnaire based on the NOVA classification. The analysis uses COX models and isoenergetic substitution models to differentiate the health impacts of NOVA elements. The project discusses potential biases, such as information and selection bias, and addresses confounding factors through multivariate modeling. The findings are considered generalizable to other populations, emphasizing the global relevance of ultra-processed food consumption and its impact on human health. Desklib offers this project and many similar resources to aid students in their studies.

PROJECT
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Question 1....................................................................................................................................3
Question2.....................................................................................................................................3
Question3.....................................................................................................................................4
Question4.....................................................................................................................................4
Question5.....................................................................................................................................4
Question 6....................................................................................................................................5
Question 7....................................................................................................................................5
Question 8....................................................................................................................................6
Question 9....................................................................................................................................6
Question 10..................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8

Question 1
Main aim of the research is to identify the association between the ultra-processed food
intake and the mortality reason in presented sample of Spanish population.
Research question
 What food is ultra-processed and how it impacts the healthy life style?
 Is ultra-processed food increases the risk of cardiovascular and other heart disease
mortality?
 What are some sever health problem which is caused by intake of ultra-processed food.
As ultra-processed food which are candies, soft drinks, fries, junk food all have the severe impact
over the body and leads towards the major health consequences. According to the Romero
ferreiro (Ferreiro and et.al 2021) intake of UP food is increasing day by day it is contributing
from the values below 20 percent to above 60 percent which is leading the severe health
consequences which is leading to cancer, diabetes, respiratory, cardiovascular severe disease.
Question2
Author explores the question with cohort design where the follow up is lasted from 1991
baseline and dietary information is also collected by using the authenticate frequency
questionnaire where the category is NOVA classification on the basis of food processing extent.
Where the link between the UPF consumption and mortality was examined by COX model also
Isoenergetic substitution model were also developed for differentiating the health impact of a
NOVA elements (Zhang and et.al 2022). Where the setting used by the author is cohort diet and
cardiovascular risk in Spain where the representative is Spanish residents.
Question3
Cohort study is the observational study where the participants in the study not have the
result of interest to initiates with, where the selection is made on exposure stated of person.
Author selected this study design because ultra-processed food is rare exposure as it helps the
author in analysing the risk and outcome rate among the cohort of participant. Main limitation of
this study is that it is expensive as well as time consuming also there will be long follow up for
waiting for the event to happen.
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Question4
Main aim of randomised trial is that to assure everyone have the identical possibility to be
assigned with one or further treatment (Barbosa and et.al 2022). Randomised controlled trial are
efficient in calculating the effectiveness of the new treatment main benefit of this as it gives the
rigorous tool for analysing the cause effect relationship among the intervention and result. It also
decreases the biases in the study. Drawback of this approach is that validity needed a different
site that would be complex to manage it. long run trials might result in reduction of relevancy
because in some duration practice might shift by the time when trial published.
Question5
Information bias define as the distortion in calculation of association which is mainly due to
improper measurement of the ley variables within the study. Information biases is the organised
difference in between the truth and fact that encountered in collection and managing of
information in study. For an instance in this article the information is collected from the
questionnaire where the participants are 5 to 59 years old and the study is done on the Spanish
people, therefore it can be done on different people as well as to survey the people from other
nation as it is found that in USA 31 percent food is packaged and people consumes more
unprocessed food which shows that large population is facing severe health problem like
diabetes, obesity. Also it taken the participant in same category whereas unprocessed food has
different impact over kids and adults (Farde and Rock 2020). As kids consumes more UPF than
adults which lead them to face severe problems like obesity, diabetes in their early childhood.
Also there might be chances that questionnaire is distributed to known people which supports the
researcher to complete the study. Therefore, to address this author have used the approach to
distribute the questionnaire randomly. Also for classifying the participant categories will be
made where the kids and adult have different section for studying the UPF impact. Yes, it is
successful in delivering the better outcomes. The things to be done as if there are extra money
resources or no limitation of budget then quantitative analysis can be carried out which helps in
performing the statistical tools that gives the accurate result.
Question 6
Selection bias mainly identified from the individual, group selection it also happens when the
people are volunteered for the study. Selection bias for the study as author have only selected the
Spain country while other country also facing the serious health problem in their people because

of the Ultra processed food. Also they have already set the criteria for outcome as to
communicate with the participants that this particular study must have this specific result so
participants are allowed to only answer in such manner which match the final outcome which is
specified by the author (de Miranda and et.al 2021). To address this issues author have given the
independent choices to the participants as they are allowed to give the data which is about what
they are experiencing from the intake of ultra-processed food rather than focusing on the
outcome which is predefined by author. Yes, this approach is successful and different data have
been obtained from this process. If there is an enough time and effective distribution of
resources, then study can be done on other country people as well.
Question 7
Confounding in the study refers to the mixing of the effects where the exposure effect of
the study for the specified result are assorted with effect of the other factor which gives the
outcome as distortion in the relationship. In this study potential confounders describe the priori
where the confounders are elicited from previous literature instead of statistical criteria. Where
the potential confounders were involved as covariates within the multivariate model which is
age, baseline BMI, energy intake, consumption of alcohol family history. Yes, the author has
made the effort to address this and it is successful for obtaining the information as to use the cox
model that was developed on three level for the confounders. Where the 1st level is for the age
and sex second level for the lifestyle of people and 3rd model is for the clinical factors. If there is
enough resources than further level can be made which helps in obtaining the best outcomes.
Question 8
There was no effective modifier in this study because researcher have not focused on any other
participant rather than Spanish, effect modifier can be seen if author select participant from more
than one region. Effective modification is one of the most important element in the research
where author decide to collect data from other source as well, for example if author have focused
on Spanish participant to understand impact of Ultra processed food intake and have not focused
on any other participant then there was not effective modification (De Amicis and et.al 2022).
Reason behind avoiding effect modifiers because author understand that focusing on one group
will provide exact information if they focused on other group as well. There was not need to
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focus on other participant because chosen topic is more related to human and health as compared
to region and country.
Question 9
Author have give satisfactory answer to research question allowing them to cover every
important area of the study, research question is one of the most important element that provide
support to research and allow author to cover every important area. For the completion of this
research, author have give satisfactory answer to every question and covered every important
area. Examining the finding of the research, author can conclude that research question are
clearly been answered. For example; research question was targeting on primary data collection
and reviewing viewpoint of candidate, researcher have carefully designed data collection
questionnaire that allow them to cover every important detail about the study. Researcher have
answered every research question and covered almost every important area, however, some point
need to be more specific and need more attention of the author in the process.
Question 10
Yes the result are generalizable to other population because these data are collected from human
and their health point of view allowing researcher to focus on health as an issue rather than
country or region of participant. For example; main topic of this research is Ultra processed food
intake, researcher can focus on human from all around the world because not a limited number of
population intake ultra processed food (Popkin and et.al 2021). In this completion of this study,
researcher have focused on Spanish participant who intake Ultra processed food which means if
researcher have focused on German people who intake Ultra processed food then result would be
same because human health do not differ from place or region. However, there will be visible
change in the result because region and food density will be different from each country or
regional area. These results are generalizable to other population including other region, other
nation and other area as well, author have not mentioned any limitation of population because
focus is on Ultra processed food intake and its impact on human body.

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REFERENCES
Books and journals
Barbosa, S.S. and et.al 2022. A Systematic Review on Processed/Ultra-Processed Foods and
Arterial Hypertension in Adults and Older People. Nutrients. 14(6). p.1215.
De Amicis, R. and et.al 2022. Ultra-processed foods and obesity and adiposity parameters among
children and adolescents: a systematic review. European Journal of Nutrition, pp.1-15.
de Miranda, R.C. and et.al 2021. Consumption of ultra-processed foods and non-communicable
disease-related nutrient profile in Portuguese adults and elderly (2015–2016): the UPPER
project. British Journal of Nutrition. 125(10). pp.1177-1187.
Fardet, A. and Rock, E., 2020. Ultra-processed foods and food system sustainability: What are
the links?. Sustainability. 12(15). p.6280.
Ferreiro, C.R. and et.al 2021. Ultra-processed food intake and all-cause mortality: DRECE
cohort study. Public Health Nutrition, pp.1-10.
Popkin, B.M. and et.al 2021. Towards unified and impactful policies to reduce ultra-processed
food consumption and promote healthier eating. The Lancet Diabetes &
Endocrinology. 9(7). pp.462-470.
Zhang, S. and et.al 2022. Ultra-processed food consumption and the risk of non-alcoholic fatty
liver disease in the Tianjin Chronic Low-grade Systemic Inflammation and Health Cohort
Study. International Journal of Epidemiology. 51(1). pp.237-249.