Author Identifier (ORCID)
Abstract
Background/Objective: Temporal eating patterns and ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption have independently been associated with obesity and non-communicable diseases. Little is known about the temporal patterns of UPF consumption, as data is challenging to collect. Temporal data can be extracted from mobile food records (mFRs). The aim of this study was to identify the temporal eating patterns of those consuming UPFs using an mFR. Methods: A combined sample of 243 young (18–30 years) and 148 older (>30 years) adults completed a 4-day mFR. The time of eating was extracted from the mFR image metadata. UPFs were identified using the NOVA food classification system. The proportion of total energy intake (EI) from UPFs was calculated hourly. Using chi-square tests, a day-of-the-week analysis compared weekends (Friday–Sunday) with weekdays (Monday–Thursday). A multivariate logistic regression of UPF EI terciles was conducted, expressed as odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals. Results: The proportion of total EI from UPFs was significantly different between younger adults (mean ± SD = 48.8 ± 15.6%) and older adults (36.1 ± 15.1%) (p < 0.001). Age-differentiated 24 h temporal eating pattern analysis found that younger adults had two distinct UPF EI peaks, with the highest at 8 pm, followed by 1 pm. Older adults followed a more conventional three-meal pattern with an additional peak at 7 am. Weekend UPF EI was higher than on weekdays for older adults (~560 kJ, p = 0.003), with no difference for younger adults. Multivariable logistic regression found no significant associations between UPF intake terciles and demographic variables (sex, BMI, education). Conclusions: The peak UPF EI occurred at conventional mealtimes, and UPFs accounted for a substantial proportion of energy intake, especially for younger adults. The timing of UPF EI provides important information for developing public health nutrition interventions.
Keywords
Chrono-nutrition, dietary assessment, dietary patterns, digital health, mobile food record, temporal patterns, ultra-processed foods
Document Type
Journal Article
Date of Publication
10-1-2025
Article Number
3302
Volume
17
Issue
20
PubMed ID
41156554
Publication Title
Nutrients
Publisher
MDPI
School
Nutrition and Health Innovation Research Institute / School of Medical and Health Sciences
Funding Information
This research contributes to the achievement of the PhD of researcher JDH and is funded by the Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship. LCB was supported by an NHMRC of Australia Emerging Leadership Investigator Grant (ID: 1172987). Both original studies received funding from NIH, NCI (1U01CA130784-01); NIH, NIDDK (1R01-DK073711-01A1) for the mobile record. A Healthway Health Promotion Research Grant (18932) and the Department of Health, Western Australia, funded the younger adult study. Healthway Health Promotion Research Grant (24261) and the East Metropolitan Health Service, Perth, funded the older adult study.
Funding received from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC)
1172987
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Healy, J. D., Dhaliwal, S. S., Pollard, C. M., Harray, A. J., Blekkenhorst, L., Zhu, F., & Kerr, D. A. (2025). Temporal eating patterns and ultra-processed food consumption assessed from mobile food records of Australian adults. Nutrients, 17(20), Article 3302. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17203302