Consumo de alimentos ultraprocesados y rendimiento académico en estudiantes de secundaria durante la pandemia
Author(s)
Dani Mendoza Fernández
Date Issued
2 de abril de 2026
Type
Article
Volume
4
Issue
7
Start Page
4
End Page
17
Abstract
The consumption of ultra-processed foods among adolescents is a topic of growing interest due to its potential effects on health and learning. Therefore, the objective of this research was to determine the relationship between the consumption of ultra-processed foods and academic performance in secondary school students at a private educational institution in East Lima during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown. A quantitative, descriptive, and correlational study was conducted with a sample of 135 students, who were given a questionnaire to assess the frequency of their ultra-processed food consumption and their academic performance. The results showed that 31.9% did not consume ultra-processed foods, 38.5% consumed them sporadically, and approximately 30% maintained regular or frequent consumption. Regarding academic performance, 54.8% achieved the expected level, 41.5% achieved outstanding performance, and only 3.7% remained in progress. The correlation coefficient between ultra-processed food consumption and academic performance was -0.044, which was not statistically significant, confirming the lack of a direct association between the two variables. It is concluded that, in this context, ultra-processed food consumption did not determine academic performance, indicating that other factors such as family support, socioeconomic conditions, and teaching strategies may have a greater influence on school performance during lockdown.
Subjects