Introduction to Ultra-Processed Foods
Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are defined as foods that contain more than five ingredients that you wouldn’t find in your kitchen cupboard, such as emulsifiers, preservatives, additives, colors, and sweeteners. Examples of UPFs include sausages, chips, pastries, cookies, instant soups, sodas, ice cream, and supermarket bread. These industrially produced foods are on the menu worldwide and are degrading the quality of our diet through too much sugar and unhealthy fats as well as a lack of fiber and protein.
Health Risks Associated with UPFs
A review of evidence on the health effects of UPFs, conducted by global experts and based on long-term studies, suggests that these foods are associated with a higher risk of 12 health conditions. These include type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, depression, and premature death from any cause. The growing consumption of highly processed foods is changing diets worldwide, displacing fresh and minimally processed foods and meals.
The Need for Action
The way we eat is changing – away from fresh, whole foods towards cheap, highly processed meals – which is increasing our risk of a range of chronic diseases, including obesity and depression. Governments need to take action and introduce warnings and higher taxes on UPF products to fund access to more nutritious foods. A strong global public health response is needed to challenge the powerful global corporations that are making enormous profits by prioritizing highly processed products.
Criticisms and Limitations
Some scientists have noted that it is difficult to separate the effects of UPFs in people’s diets from other factors in people’s lives such as lifestyle, behavior, and wealth. Critics of the classification system say it relies too heavily on the level of processing in foods rather than how nutritious the food in question is. For example, whole grain bread, breakfast cereals, low-fat yogurt, baby food, and fish sticks are all considered highly processed, but they contain a lot of good stuff.
Conclusion and Future Research
While the review suggests that UPFs are associated with a higher risk of chronic diseases, it acknowledges that there is a lack of clinical studies showing exactly how UPFs harm health. Further research is needed to understand how food processing affects our health and to clarify the relationship between UPFs and disease. The current dietary advice is to eat more fruit, vegetables, and fiber and reduce sugar, fat, and salt. Companies have made changes to make food and drink healthier, in line with government guidelines, and the amount of sugar and salt in products has fallen in recent years. However, more research is urgently needed to understand the effects of UPFs on our health.
