Consumption of ultra-processed foods and somatotype in students of a public educational institution in the Peruvian Amazon

Introduction: The consumption of ultra -processed foods conditions a person's biotype. A parameter for its evaluation is the anthropometric assessment of the somatotype and a survey of consumption of ultra -processed foods to assess their consumption levels. Objective: determine the association between the consumption of ultra -processed foods and somatotype in schoolchildren from a public educational institution in the Peruvian Amazon. Materials and Methods : qualitative research approach, with a non -experimental, transversal and correlational design. The final sample of the study was made up of 171 students from the third, fourth and fifth grades of secondary school during the academic period corresponding to the year 2022. It included students who provided informed consent and assent, under 18 years of age and with current registration. The anthropometric assessment was performed using the HeathCarter method; The measurement of the level of consumption of ultra-processed foods was carried out through a food consumption frequency survey. Results: 47.4% of the population presents endomorphism as the predominant biotype, with a greater presence of the female population, 36.3% of the population presents a mesomorphic biotype and 16.4% presents an ectomorphic biotype. When evaluating the consumption of ultra-processed foods, it was determined that 57.8% of the population shows a high consumption of ultra-processed foods, with a greater presence of the male population; that 32.2% have irrigation consumption and that 9.4% have low irrigation consumption. The results indicate that there is no statistically significant relationship between the consumption of ultra-processed foods and the type of somatotype present in the study population. Conclusion: Despite the high consumption of ultraprocessed foods, no association was found with somatotype, because there are several factors that determine somatotype in this age group. It is necessary to carry out more research, using non-traditional nutritional indicators in schoolchildren from the Peruvian Amazon.