New research highlights the link between consuming large amounts of ultra-processed foods and an increased risk of a variety of health problems, including cancer, heart disease, lung disease, mental health problems, and premature death. Despite previous research on this topic, this comprehensive review of nearly 10 million participants shows an urgent need for public health interventions and further research into the negative effects of these foods. We emphasize that.
The findings highlight the need for urgent research to understand how ultra-processed foods affect health, and for targeted measures to reduce exposure.
Consistent evidence shows that increased exposure to ultra-processed foods is associated with an increased risk of 32 adverse health outcomes, including cancer, serious heart and lung disease, mental health disorders, and premature death. It shows that.
The recently published survey results are BMJhave shown that diets high in ultra-processed foods can be harmful to many body systems, leading to efforts to reduce dietary exposure to these products and better understand the mechanisms by which they lead to poor health outcomes. This emphasizes the need for emergency measures aimed at
Ultra-processed foods, such as packaged baked goods and snacks, carbonated drinks, sugary cereals, and ready-to-eat and heated products, undergo multiple industrial processes and are often loaded with colorants, emulsifiers, flavors, and other additives. It contains. These products tend to be high in sugar, fat, and salt, but low in vitamins and fiber.
It can account for up to 58% of total daily energy intake in some high-income countries and has increased rapidly in recent decades in many low- and middle-income countries.
Comprehensive review of the evidence
Although many previous studies and meta-analyses have linked highly processed foods to poor health, no comprehensive review exists yet to provide a broad assessment of the evidence in this area. .
To fill this gap, researchers conducted a comprehensive review (high-level evidence summary) of 45 separate meta-analyses from 14 review articles linking ultra-processed foods to adverse health effects. did.
All review articles were published in the past three years and involved approximately 10 million participants. None of the companies received funding from companies involved in the production of ultra-processed foods.
Estimates of exposure to ultra-processed foods are obtained from a combination of food frequency questionnaires, 24-hour dietary recalls, and dietary history, measured as large and small intakes, additional meals per day, or 10% increments. it was done.
The researchers ranked the evidence as convincing, highly suggestive, suggestive, weak, or no evidence. We also rated the quality of the evidence as high, moderate, low, or very low.
Overall, the results show that higher exposure to ultra-processed foods is consistently associated with an increased risk of 32 adverse health effects.
Compelling evidence showed that increasing intake of ultra-processed foods increases the risk of: cardiovascular disease48-53% higher risk of death, anxiety and common mental disorders, and 12% higher risk of type 2 diabetes.
High intakes of ultra-processed foods are also associated with a 21% increased risk of death from all causes and a 40-66% increased risk of heart disease-related death, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and sleep disorders. has shown suggestive evidence. and a 22% increased risk of depression.
Evidence links exposure to ultra-processed foods with asthma, gastrointestinal health conditions, some cancers, and cardiometabolic risk factors such as high blood fats and low levels of “good” cholesterol. still limited.
A call to action and further research
The researchers noted that umbrella reviews can only provide a high-level overview and cannot exclude the possibility that other unmeasured factors or variations in assessing ultra-processed food intake may have influenced the results. I admit it.
However, our use of rigorous, prespecified, and systematic methods to assess the reliability and quality of our analyzes suggests that our results stand up to scrutiny.
Therefore, the researchers wrote, “These findings support urgent mechanistic research and public health actions aimed at targeting and minimizing consumption of ultra-processed foods to improve population health.” ” concludes.
Ultra-processed foods can harm your health and shorten your lifespan, researchers say in the linked editorial. So how can we control and reduce its increasing production and consumption around the world?
They point out that public policy and action against ultra-processed foods is essential because reformulation does not eliminate harm and prevents manufacturers from switching to producing nutritious foods from a profitability perspective. are doing.
These include front-of-pack labeling, advertising restrictions, banning sales near schools and hospitals, ensuring that unprocessed or minimally processed foods and freshly prepared meals are available in the same way as ultra-processed products; It includes fiscal and other measures that make it cheaper than it is. food.
Now is the time for UN agencies to work with member states to develop and implement a framework convention on ultra-processed foods, similar to the framework on tobacco, and to promote examples of best practice, they write. .
Finally, they “identify the most effective ways to control and reduce overtreatment, and ensure that all such policies and actions impact human health and well-being, society, culture, employment and the environment.”
Reference: “Exposure to ultra-processed foods and adverse health effects: A comprehensive review of epidemiological meta-analyses” Melissa M. Lane, Elizabeth Gammage, Shuton Du, Deborah N. Ashtree, Amelia J. McGuinness, By Sarah Gauci, Philip Baker, Mark Lawrence, Casey M. Rebholz, Bernard Sloer, Mathilde Touvier, Félice N. Jacka, Adrian O’Neill, Toby Segasby, Wolfgang Marx, February 28, 2024 Day, BMJ.
DOI: 10.1136/bmj-2023-077310
