[Ultra-processed foods and culinary preparations on promotions in Brazil's largest food delivery app].

Abstract

The scope of this study was to verify differences in the characteristics of predominantly ultra-processed foods or culinary dishes on sale from the largest food delivery app in Brazil in neighborhoods with differing socioeconomic categories in the city of São Paulo. Twenty neighborhoods were selected, categorized according to quartiles of the Municipal Human Development Index. Data on food on sale, classified as culinary preparations or ultra-processed foods, were collected from the centroid of the neighborhoods. A sample of 350 promotions was analyzed, and their characteristics were compared according to the degree of processing categories and vulnerability of the neighborhood. A higher prevalence of promotions for ultra-processed foods was observed in three out of four socioeconomic categories. Places that offered culinary preparations were closer than places that offered ultra-processed foods. The average price and discount were higher for ultra-processed foods. Given the wide availability of ultra-processed foods, it seems necessary to promote the consumption of culinary preparations and highlight them in digital food environments in order to discourage the choice of ultra-processed foods.