Ultra-processed foods in the United States are very bad for you.Here's what you need to know | Well, actually

SHopping on yogurt, bread, and granola bars may seem like a healthy decision. Dairy products seem like a calcium-boosting option for kids, whole grain bread seems better than white bread, and granola bars seem much better for you than chips or gummy bears. And in many ways, they really are.

But many of the foods sold in supermarkets, even if they seem healthy, are now what scientists call “ultra-processed.” Or packaged bread made with ingredients such as soy lecithin and monoglycerides mixed with flour and water.

These industrially formulated products are often high in fats, starches, sugars, and additives. 73% of US food supply today. However, research is increasingly linking ultra-processed foods to a myriad of health problems, including diabetes, obesity, cancer, and depression. Despite these risks, the average American 60% or more The amount of calories you consume per day from ultra-processed foods is in other countries In the world.

A new way of thinking about nutrition

The term “ultra-processed foods” first appeared in a book published in 2009 by Brazilian nutritionist Carlos Augusto Monteiro. paper He made the bold claim that “the problem is not food or nutrients, but rather processing.''

Most foods have been processed in some way, from the apples that are waxed to make them shiny at the supermarket to the milk that has been pasteurized for safety. Processing itself is not a bad thing. In fact, vitamin fortification and preservation techniques (such as canning and fermentation) have ensured that shelf-stable, nutritious foods are available year after year, making the food supply more secure and eliminating much of the world's hunger. I did. round.

However, some foods are “minimally processed” (such as shelled nuts and washed vegetables), while others are simply “processed” (such as canned fish, frozen vegetables, and cheese). ) On the other hand, Mr. Monteiro said, 1980s and 90s – Ultra-processed foods (such as many breakfast cereals, packaged snacks, and sugary drinks) – are industrially formulated to be “easy to eat, delicious, and habit-forming,” he writes. Masu.

Nutritionists have focused on the nutrients found in foods for years. Potassium and fiber are good, but high amounts of sugar, salt, and saturated fat are a concern. But in the early 2000s, Monteiro and his colleagues at the University of São Paulo Noticed They found that even though Brazilians are buying less sugar, the prevalence of diet-related diseases (such as obesity and type 2 diabetes) is increasing.

They argued that consuming large amounts of sugar is not necessarily good for consumers, but there is more to it than that. Fruits like mangoes and bananas are high in sugar, but no one eats dozens of them at once. But when it comes to ultra-processed foods like candy bars and packaged cookies, it was hard to eat just one thing. Scientists would later wonder if it had something to do with the “food matrix,” or the chemical and molecular structure of the food. Sugars found in natural foods such as fruits are packaged with dietary fiber and vitamins, making them easier to recognize and giving our bodies a feeling of satisfaction.

A growing body of evidence

Since Monteiro and his colleagues first defined ultra-processed foods (UPFs), dozens of researchers have asked, “How do ultra-processed foods affect the human body?” why?

For years, scientists have been conducting observational studies examining the link between diet and health outcomes. But the most convincing evidence that UPF was actually doing something different than other foods finally came in 2019, when Kevin Hall, a senior research scientist at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, This was revealed in a published paper. First randomized controlled study About ultra-processed foods.

Over a four-week period, 20 healthy adult volunteers agreed to eat either an ultra-processed diet or a minimally-processed diet for two weeks, then switch to the other diet. Importantly, these diets are nutrient-specific, meaning that someone eating an ultra-processed diet will consume the same amount of sugar, fiber, fat, salt, and carbohydrates as someone eating a minimally processed diet. Both groups were encouraged to eat the same amount or portions. It wasn't as good as they had hoped.

By the end of the study, Hall found that participants ate 500 more calories each day during the ultra-processed diet week and gained even more weight. For some reason about ultra-processed foods, people are getting hungry and wanting more.

This was a breakthrough discovery at a time when the food industry was in crisis. funding Research that attempts to shift the cause of obesity from diet to exercise.

Since then, there has been mounting evidence that ultra-processing has negative health effects.

2022 survey A paper published in the British Medical Journal found that men (but not women) who consumed high amounts of UPF had a 29% higher risk of colorectal cancer (this finding is particularly noteworthy) ) Incidence of colorectal cancer in young adults go up). At the European Society of Cardiology Congress held in Amsterdam in August 2023, research team published a study concluding that a 10% increase in daily UPF intake was associated with a 6% increase in heart disease risk. And in September, Harvard University research It was found that women who consumed the most UPF were 50% more likely to develop depression than those who consumed the least.

Earlier this year, researchers from Australia's Deakin University, Johns Hopkins University, Sorbonne University and others published the study. umbrella reviews A compilation of existing research on the health effects associated with the consumption of ultra-processed foods. They found that UPF directly links to: 32 harmful health effects, high blood pressure and anxiety. This paper suggests that consumption of ultra-processed foods is most strongly associated with cardiometabolic disease, general mental health conditions, and higher mortality rates.

“Although the links between ultra-processed food consumption and other health problems such as respiratory and gastrointestinal health, some cancers, and cardiometabolic intermediate risk factors are less certain, this suggests that these links “That doesn't mean it's not important,” says postdoctoral researcher Melissa Lane.Researcher at Deakin University food said the Mood Center and one of the study authors in an email. “Rather, it highlights areas where further research is needed to clarify these potential effects.”

Because UPF is composed of dozens of components that are relatively new to the food supply, “the potential for physiological effects is endless,” said Josima Mattei, a professor of nutrition at Harvard University's T.H. Chan School of Public Health. health.

Why does UPF do this?

The concept of ultra-processed foods is a useful lens through which scientists assess the impact of manufactured products, said Lee Frame, executive director of George Washington University's Office of Integrative Medicine and Health. However, as researchers dig deeper, they are beginning to differentiate between types of UPF.

Last year, Harvard University study Refined breads, sauces, condiments, artificially sweetened and sugar-sweetened beverages, animal products, and ready-to-eat foods are most closely associated with the risk of developing type 2 diabetes (as opposed to other UPF factors such as cereals). I pointed out that whole grain breads, fruit-based products, yogurt, etc.).Similarly, at another Harvard University study A paper published last year found that UPF, particularly the consumption of foods and drinks containing artificial sweeteners, was associated with the risk of developing depression.

“One of the challenges is that UPF is made up of all kinds of ingredients and compounds that can act in multiple ways in the body,” Mattei said.

When scientists try to dig deeper, which one UPF causes the worst health effects – as one of the questions asked why UPF is doing what it needs to do. They are also looking to conduct more rigorous studies like Hall's study (though Mattei said that “as evidence grows regarding the potential negative effects of UPF,” it would be unethical to conduct future clinical trials. (pointed out that this is a possibility). Stronger data could ultimately shape U.S. nutrition policy.

To change dietary policy in the U.S., Frame said, “we basically need randomized controlled trials to show conclusively that this happens, and we don't have enough of that yet.” He said research from the National Institutes of Health is getting closer. But that's a high bar, she says, given the meager funding for nutritional science in the United States.

Although researchers are wary of UPF, Frame said he doesn't think any food needs to be 100% off-limits. “Such forbidden foods only cause problems and specifically increase cravings,” she says. “I'm more interested in overall eating patterns than individual foods.” If people can increase their intake of minimally processed, whole foods compared to her UPF, that's a win. .

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