Background Evidences suggest that early processed food consumption may cause harms to infant health. During the first six months of life, it is not known whether timing and quantity of this food group can impact in breastfeeding and growth. The aim was to analyze the interaction between infant processed food consumption and their relation to breastfeeding and infant growth up to six months old. Methods Longitudinal study with a sample of newborns in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Data were collected in

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... ix interviews, from birth to six months, in a sample of infants with adverse intrauterine environments. Processed food consumption was calculated by gravity score food (GSF) in relation to feeding supply quality and time. For the analysis, the scores were divided into tertiles, making scores severities: Null, Mild, Moderate and Severe. It was tested its interaction with breastfeeding (exclusive and nonexclusive) and growth (analyzed in Z-scores, by weight for height and body mass index for age). Results A total of 236 infants were included in the study. Greater GSF were associated with better rates of breastfeeding practices and higher growth indicators scores in the sixth month of infants. The adjusted analyzes for family income, maternal age and pre-gestational body mass index confirmed these findings. Conclusion The harms of eating processed foods are more evident the greater and earlier they are consumed, in relation to breastfeeding and infant growth. Future studies should explore interventions to reduce consumption of these foods to prevent adverse health outcomes in later life.