Mark A. Mahoney
As National Nutrition Month comes to a close, we turn to the ongoing role of significant harmful effects from the large-scale consumption of ultra-processed foods by a large portion of the population in America (let’s not ignore similar levels of consumption in some countries). other countries).
The shift from unprocessed and minimally processed foods to ultra-processed foods and their increasing contribution to global dietary patterns in recent years has been attributed to key factors, including behavioral mechanisms, food environments, and commercial influences on food choices.
These factors, combined with the specific characteristics of ultra-processed foods, raise concerns about the overall quality of nutrition and the health of populations more broadly.
At a time when Americans consume more than half of their daily calories from ultra-processed foods, there is growing evidence that eating too much of these foods can make us sick.
ultra-processed foods
Ultra-processed foods, as defined using the NOVA food classification system (see Reference section for description), cover a wide range of ready-to-eat products, including packaged snacks, carbonated soft drinks, instant noodles, and ready meals.
These products are defined as industrial formulations consisting primarily of chemically modified substances extracted from foods and additives that improve taste, texture, appearance and durability and contain minimal or no whole foods.
Ultra-processed foods are abundant in our food supply. The most common include highly refined breads, fast food, sugary drinks, cereals, cookies and other packaged snacks. They are generally high in salt, sugar, fat and calories and low in micronutrients such as fiber and vitamins.
Comments on a new research study and review
A study published in the British Medical Journal reveals that people who consume high amounts of these foods have an increased risk of anxiety, depression, obesity, metabolic syndrome, some cancers, including colorectal cancer, and premature death.
The data comes from more than 9 million people who participated in dozens of studies that researchers analyzed as part of the umbrella review.
Study author Dr. from Deakin University. “Taking the body of literature as a whole, there was consistent evidence that regularly eating higher amounts of low amounts of ultra-processed foods is linked to these negative health outcomes,” says Melissa Lane. Australia.
Some scientific evaluation and regulatory measures are ongoing
An advisory panel is currently evaluating the latest diet and nutrition studies as part of the federal government’s process to update the Dietary Guidelines. It’s possible that advisors could recommend limits on ultra-processed foods, but getting people to follow this will likely be difficult. to them.
On the regulatory side, the Food and Drug Administration is moving forward to finalize a new definition of the term “healthy” that is expected soon.
The FDA is also moving toward pre-package labeling to flag foods that contain high amounts of sodium, sugar and saturated fat. Nancy Brown, CEO of the American Heart Association, says such labels “will make it easier for consumers to make healthier choices and better understand the nutritional value of the foods and beverages they purchase.”
FDA’s first Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods says: [these] It consists of three components (sodium, sugar and saturated fat), which the agency aims to make people aware of the risks.
Summary and recommendations
This umbrella review study found consistent evidence of a higher risk of adverse health outcomes associated with greater consumption of ultra-processed foods.
Greater exposure to ultraprocessed foods has been associated with a higher risk of cardiometabolic syndrome (a syndrome characterized by a number of disorders, including abdominal obesity, insulin-resistant glucose metabolism, dyslipidemia (a metabolic disorder characterized by abnormally high or low amounts of any or all foods) lipids) and increased blood pressure.
These findings support urgent mechanistic research (mechanical processing that does not add chemicals or additional ingredients to the substance, thus tending to deprive the food of any of its nutritional value) and public health actions aimed at targeting and minimizing the consumption of overly processed food. To improve population health.
As National Nutrition month comes to a close, consider the many benefits of eating less processed foods. Pursuing this course of action in our daily lives provides the real potential for a better quality of life for absolutely everyone.
Consider consulting with a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist, the healthcare professional best suited for this consulting role.
References and Resources
A link to the 4-page reference page for the NOVA Food Grading System is available at ecuphysicians.ecu.edu.
Link to a study in the British Medical Journal titled Ultra-processed food exposure and adverse health outcomes involving over 9 million participants: umbrella review of epidemiological meta-analyses: bmj.com
Check out the broadcast (and transcript) on National Public Radio (NPR): From anxiety to cancer, evidence mounts against ultra-processed foods ctpublic.org.
Several recommended dietary approaches include the Mediterranean diet and the Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet. Below are links to each:
Mediterranean diet: eatwell.com
DASH diet and nutrition plan: mayoclinic.org; nhlbi.nih.gov
Mark A. Mahoney, Ph.D. She has been a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist for over 35 years and completed her master’s degree in Nutrition and Public Health at Columbia University. He can be reached at:marqos69@hotmail.com.