Association between ultra-processed foods and female infertility: a large cross-sectional study
Abstract Background Infertility is a significant challenge in women’s reproductive health, but the relationship between ultra-processed food (UPF) intake and female infertility remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the association between UPF intake and female infertility. Methods Using da...
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2025-07-01
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-23458-w |
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| author | Xiaoxiao Su Ge Chen Shaole Shi Huijun Sun Ying Su Yunan He |
| author_facet | Xiaoxiao Su Ge Chen Shaole Shi Huijun Sun Ying Su Yunan He |
| author_sort | Xiaoxiao Su |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Infertility is a significant challenge in women’s reproductive health, but the relationship between ultra-processed food (UPF) intake and female infertility remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the association between UPF intake and female infertility. Methods Using data from 3601 women in the NHANES database, UPF intake was defined as the percentage of energy consumed by UPF in each participant’s daily total food intake energy. Propensity score matching (PSM) and logistic regression were applied to control for potential confounders and analyze the relationship between UPF intake and female infertility. In addition, the restricted cubic splines (RCS) were used to model the potential non-linear relationships. Results After PSM, 1645 participants were included in the final analysis, comprising 417 in the infertility group and 1228 in the control group. Compared to the first quartile (Q1), UPF intake in the fourth quartile (Q4) was significantly associated with infertility in both unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression models (unadjusted OR: 1.43, 95% CI: 1.05–1.96, P = 0.025; adjusted OR: 1.43, 95% CI: 1.03–2.00, P = 0.033, respectively). No significant non-linear relationship was observed between UPF intake and infertility. However, the curve showed an overall upward trend, with a notable increase in infertility risk when UPF intake exceeded 40.8%. Conclusion Excessive UPF intake is significantly associated with an increased risk of female infertility. Future prospective cohort studies with larger sample sizes are still needed to provide more stable evidence of the relationship between UPF intake and female infertility. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d32cdfd3c6c84cc6bc3435fa4ca524a0 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1471-2458 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
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| spelling | doaj-art-d32cdfd3c6c84cc6bc3435fa4ca524a02025-08-20T03:04:15ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582025-07-012511810.1186/s12889-025-23458-wAssociation between ultra-processed foods and female infertility: a large cross-sectional studyXiaoxiao Su0Ge Chen1Shaole Shi2Huijun Sun3Ying Su4Yunan He5Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tangdu Hospital, Air Force Medical UniversityDepartment of Reproductive Medicine, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan UniversityDepartment of Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of MedicineReproductive Medicine Center, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tangdu Hospital, Air Force Medical UniversityReproductive Medicine Center, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tangdu Hospital, Air Force Medical UniversityDepartment of Reproductive Medicine, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan UniversityAbstract Background Infertility is a significant challenge in women’s reproductive health, but the relationship between ultra-processed food (UPF) intake and female infertility remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the association between UPF intake and female infertility. Methods Using data from 3601 women in the NHANES database, UPF intake was defined as the percentage of energy consumed by UPF in each participant’s daily total food intake energy. Propensity score matching (PSM) and logistic regression were applied to control for potential confounders and analyze the relationship between UPF intake and female infertility. In addition, the restricted cubic splines (RCS) were used to model the potential non-linear relationships. Results After PSM, 1645 participants were included in the final analysis, comprising 417 in the infertility group and 1228 in the control group. Compared to the first quartile (Q1), UPF intake in the fourth quartile (Q4) was significantly associated with infertility in both unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression models (unadjusted OR: 1.43, 95% CI: 1.05–1.96, P = 0.025; adjusted OR: 1.43, 95% CI: 1.03–2.00, P = 0.033, respectively). No significant non-linear relationship was observed between UPF intake and infertility. However, the curve showed an overall upward trend, with a notable increase in infertility risk when UPF intake exceeded 40.8%. Conclusion Excessive UPF intake is significantly associated with an increased risk of female infertility. Future prospective cohort studies with larger sample sizes are still needed to provide more stable evidence of the relationship between UPF intake and female infertility.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-23458-wProcessed foodInfertilityRisk factorCross-sectional studyDietary intake |
| spellingShingle | Xiaoxiao Su Ge Chen Shaole Shi Huijun Sun Ying Su Yunan He Association between ultra-processed foods and female infertility: a large cross-sectional study BMC Public Health Processed food Infertility Risk factor Cross-sectional study Dietary intake |
| title | Association between ultra-processed foods and female infertility: a large cross-sectional study |
| title_full | Association between ultra-processed foods and female infertility: a large cross-sectional study |
| title_fullStr | Association between ultra-processed foods and female infertility: a large cross-sectional study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Association between ultra-processed foods and female infertility: a large cross-sectional study |
| title_short | Association between ultra-processed foods and female infertility: a large cross-sectional study |
| title_sort | association between ultra processed foods and female infertility a large cross sectional study |
| topic | Processed food Infertility Risk factor Cross-sectional study Dietary intake |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-23458-w |
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