(2024-02-29) Ultraprocessed Foods Linked To 32 Health Problems In Review What To Know

Ultra-processed foods linked to 32 health problems in review: What to know. A review of research involving almost 10 million people has found a direct association between eating too many ultra-processed foods — those breads, cereals, snacks and frozen meals that have been industrially manufactured with flavors and additives to make them more palatable — and more than 30 health conditions, including heart disease, anxiety and early death.

review of the evidence on adverse health outcomes to date — examining 45 “pooled meta-analyses” from 14 review articles

associated with about a 50 percent increased risk of cardiovascular disease-related death, a 48 to 53 percent higher risk of anxiety and common mental health disorders, and a 12 percent greater risk of Type 2 diabetes.

associated with a 21 percent greater risk of death from any cause, a 40 percent to 66 percent higher risk of heart disease-related death, obesity, Type 2 diabetes and sleep problems, and a 22 percent increased risk of depression.

Ultra-processed foods — such as frozen dinners, sugary cereals, potato chips and fast food — account for up to 58 percent of total daily energy intake in the United States

Weak regulatory standards and industry power have even allowed ultra-processed foods like Lunchables to make their way onto school menus, The Washington Post has reported.

In an editorial published alongside the BMJ study, a group of international academics argued that ultra-processed foods “are not merely modified foods.” Typically, they contain “little if any whole food” and are made from cheap, chemically altered ingredients including modified starches, sugars, oils and fats, the group wrote.

In the United States, dietary guidelines may soon warn against ultra-processed foods, as the federal government’s guidelines committee examines the science on the possible health risks, including obesity-related diseases. Not holding my breath