In Ecuador, overweight and obesity (sp/ob) reach alarmingly high levels of prevalence in the adult and adolescent population. Among the identified drivers that increase the prevalence of sp/ob are sedentary habits, loss of dietary diversity and consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPF), which are part of a phenomenon identified as nutritional transition. The development of the agro-industrial sector, together with the urban lifestyle contribute to the change in eating patterns, increasing the risks of chronic non-communicable diseases. This transition occurs when "traditional" diets are replaced by fewer staple foods and higher consumption of UPF. Therefore, it is necessary to have a simple, low-cost instrument that allows permanent and periodic monitoring of UPF caloric intake, in order to have timely data to feed policy and program decisions that protect healthy eating practices and support the need to adopt healthy food production and supply programs.
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