Abstract

Objective To characterise patterns of food additive consumption and examine their associations with dietary indicators and adiposity in Chilean preschoolers.Methods Cross-sectional analysis of 941 children (4-6 years old) from the Food and Environment Chilean Cohort (2016). Food additives present in packaged foods and beverages were identified by linking items reported in 24-h dietary recalls to ingredient lists of packaged products collected in the same year. Additives consumed by >= 10% of participants were included in exploratory factor analysis, and linear regression was used to associate additive patterns with nutrient intake (total energy, sugars, saturated fats, protein, and fibre), UPF caloric share, and body mass index (BMI).Results On average, children consumed 45.5 additives (including repeated exposures) and 24.7 different additives per day. Flavourings were consumed by 99% of children, and fruit and soft drinks were their primary sources (24.4% of total additives). Five additive patterns were identified; all were associated with at least one dietary indicator, and two with BMI.Conclusions Chilean preschoolers are highly exposed to food additives, with distinct consumption patterns linked to poorer diet quality and higher BMI. There is a need for monitoring and regulatory efforts to reduce unnecessary additive exposure during childhood.