Quito Children Consume Ultra-Processed Foods Daily Amidst Hunger Concerns

A recent survey reveals a stark reality for children and adolescents in Quito: nine out of ten, aged 5 to 19, consumed ultra-processed foods within the last day. Simultaneously, over 15% of adolescents in the Metropolitan District reported going hungry, highlighting a disturbing paradox in the city's nutrition landscape.

This situation, where children can be simultaneously overweight and undernourished, is described by public health experts as the "double burden of malnutrition." It stems from consuming "empty calories" – foods high in energy but lacking essential nutrients. The survey, the first of its kind since 2018, found that three in ten children and adolescents in Quito are already overweight or obese. Furthermore, one in five individuals over ten has central obesity, characterized by metabolically active abdominal fat. This has led to a rise in adult-onset diseases like type 2 diabetes, fatty liver, and hypertension being diagnosed in children as young as six.

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Many calories. Few nutrients.

Dr. Pedro Luis Aguilera, an endocrinologist at Hospital Baca Ortiz, shared a recent case of a severely obese adolescent suffering from iron and vitamin D deficiencies due to excessive ultra-processed food intake. "Many calories. Few nutrients," he stated, underscoring the core issue. This profile, daily ultra-processed foods with a lack of fruits and vegetables, is common among his patients.

Pamela Piñeiros, coordinator of Nutrition and Food Safety for the Municipal Health Secretariat, points to an environment designed to promote unhealthy eating. Children are surrounded by easily accessible and appealing options like school stores, vending machines, delivery services, and pervasive advertising. Sixty percent of respondents reported seeing advertisements for sugary drinks and ultra-processed foods, which then increased their desire to consume them. Clinical psychologists note that this exposure affects crucial brain areas responsible for emotions and decision-making, which are still developing in young people.

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Central obesity is concerning because that abdominal fat releases inflammatory substances directly into the bloodstream.