Ultra-processed foods and muscle strength: a cross-sectional study with Brazilian workers
Abstract
Introduction: Muscle strength (MS), an important marker of health and functional capacity in workers, can be compromised by high consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPF), a dietary pattern associated with adverse health outcomes.
Objectives: To evaluate the association between handgrip, scapular, and lumbar MS and UPF consumption among workers from the Brazilian Midwest.
Methods: This cross-sectional study is part of a larger project entitled BRAHeLiQ-Workers. The sample consisted of 804 workers. MS was assessed using dynamometry, and UPF consumption was measured using the PeNSE questionnaire, categorized as irregular (0–4 days) or regular (5–7 days) consumption over the previous seven days. The associations between the variables were estimated using Poisson regression with robust variance, with a significance level of p < 0.05. Variables with p < 0.20 in the crude analysis were included in the adjusted models, which were adjusted for BMI, age group, education, and race/color, and performed separately for each muscle group. The study was approved by the Brazilian Research Ethics Committee (No. 6.436.246).
Results: Of the participants, 63.7% were female. In the adjusted analysis, among women, regular consumption of sweets and soft drinks was associated with a lower prevalence of low lumbar muscle strength (PRadj = 0.78; 95% CI: 0.61–0.99 and PRadj = 0.62; 95% CI: 0.43–0.88, respectively). No statistically significant associations were observed between UPF consumption and handgrip or scapular MS. The results showed that regular UPF consumption was associated with a lower prevalence of low lumbar muscle strength among women.
Conclusions: These findings expand the evidence on dietary factors associated with MS among female workers, providing relevant support for future occupational health promotion strategies.
Key messages: • Regular intake of ultra-processed foods was associated with lower prevalence of low lumbar muscle strength among female workers.
• Dietary patterns may influence muscle strength, highlighting nutrition as a key target for occupational health strategies.
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BibTeX
@article{noll2026ultraprocessed,
title = {{Ultra-processed foods and muscle strength: a cross-sectional study with Brazilian workers}},
author = {M Noll and LL Cordeiro and GR Costa and MB Costa and IFR Oliveira and SM Nogueira and PR Silva},
journal = {The European Journal of Public Health},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1093/eurpub/ckag169.1311},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckag169.1311},
note = {CC BY-NC 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Ultra-processed foods and muscle strength: a cross-sectional study with Brazilian workers
AU - M Noll
AU - LL Cordeiro
AU - GR Costa
AU - MB Costa
AU - IFR Oliveira
AU - SM Nogueira
AU - PR Silva
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/01
JO - The European Journal of Public Health
DO - 10.1093/eurpub/ckag169.1311
UR - https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckag169.1311
AB - Introduction: Muscle strength (MS), an important marker of health and functional capacity in workers, can be compromised by high consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPF), a dietary pattern associated with adverse health outcomes. Objectives: To evaluate the association between handgrip, scapular, and lumbar MS and UPF consumption among workers from the Brazilian Midwest. Methods: This cross-sectional study is part of a larger project entitled BRAHeLiQ-Workers. The sample consisted of 804 workers. MS was assessed using dynamometry, and UPF consumption was measured using the PeNSE questionnaire, categorized as irregular (0–4 days) or regular (5–7 days) consumption over the previous seven days. The associations between the variables were estimated using Poisson regression with robust variance, with a significance level of p < 0.05. Variables with p < 0.20 in the crude analysis were included in the adjusted models, which were adjusted for BMI, age group, education, and race/color, and performed separately for each muscle group. The study was approved by the Brazilian Research Ethics Committee (No. 6.436.246). Results: Of the participants, 63.7% were female. In the adjusted analysis, among women, regular consumption of sweets and soft drinks was associated with a lower prevalence of low lumbar muscle strength (PRadj = 0.78; 95% CI: 0.61–0.99 and PRadj = 0.62; 95% CI: 0.43–0.88, respectively). No statistically significant associations were observed between UPF consumption and handgrip or scapular MS. The results showed that regular UPF consumption was associated with a lower prevalence of low lumbar muscle strength among women. Conclusions: These findings expand the evidence on dietary factors associated with MS among female workers, providing relevant support for future occupational health promotion strategies. Key messages: • Regular intake of ultra-processed foods was associated with lower prevalence of low lumbar muscle strength among female workers. • Dietary patterns may influence muscle strength, highlighting nutrition as a key target for occupational health strategies.
SN - 1101-1262
SN - 1464-360X
ER -