Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
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THURSDAY, Feb. 29, 2024 (HealthDay News) — Ultra-processed foods can cause dozens of terrible health problems for people who frequently eat them, a new review warns.
Researchers linked a diet high in ultra-processed foods to an increased risk of 32 diseases. In particular, researchers say these foods are strongly linked to the risk of early death, heart disease, cancer, poor mental health, overweight and obesity, and type 2 diabetes.
For example, researchers said ultra-processed foods were associated with a 50% increased risk of heart-related death, a 48% to 53% increased risk of anxiety and common mental disorders, and a 12% increased risk of type 2 diabetes. I am.
The results showed that the more of these foods you ate, the higher your overall health risk.
Ultra-processed foods include packaged snacks, sugary drinks, instant noodles, sugary cereals, and convenience foods.
The products go through multiple industrial processes and include additives such as emulsifiers, colorants, and chemical flavorings to make them delicious and shelf-stable.
Unfortunately, ultra-processed foods now account for up to 58% of total daily energy intake in some high-income countries, and rapidly increasing in low- and middle-income countries, researchers say in a background paper. Says.
“Remarkably, the availability and variety of ultra-processed products sold in recent decades has significantly and rapidly increased in countries around the world,” said a research team led by Melissa Lane, an associate researcher at Dieken University's Institute for Psychiatry and Psychiatry. “The number of cases is increasing,” he wrote. Physical Health in Victoria, Australia.
According to researchers, these highly processed foods contain high amounts of sugar, salt, fat, and other ingredients that can have negative effects on many systems in the body.
For this analysis, the researchers reviewed pooled data from 14 review articles published over the past three years and involving nearly 10 million participants. None of the companies received funding from food companies that produce ultra-processed foods.
Ultra-processed foods are associated with a 21% increased risk of death from any cause, a 55% increased risk of obesity, a 40% increased risk of type 2 diabetes, a 41% increased risk of sleep disturbances, and a 22% increased risk of sleep disturbances. There's evidence. Increased risk of depression.
The findings were published in a magazine on February 28th. BMJ.
The researchers noted that these negative health effects cannot always be completely explained by the products' nutritional deficiencies or high caloric load.
Changes to foods made during manufacturing “may affect digestion, nutrient absorption, and satiety,” the researchers wrote.
Researchers say some additives used in food (non-sugar sweeteners, emulsifiers, colorants, nitrates or nitrites) have been linked to health risks in humans. It is said that there is
Intensive industrial processing of food can also produce harmful substances that contribute to chronic inflammation, and packaging materials can also contain contaminants, the researchers added.
The researchers said manufacturers may be under pressure to reformulate these products, but reformulating the ingredients does not necessarily make them harmless.
Additionally, food manufacturers' pursuit of profits discourages switching to more nutritious products.
In fact, research shows that manufacturers use marketing strategies that use “visually appealing packaging with eye-catching designs and health-related claims” to promote their products, encouraging “overconsumption.” They say:
For this reason, researchers recommend cracking down on these foods by regulators and policymakers, including:
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Nutritional labels on the front and back.
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Advertising restrictions.
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Sales at schools, hospitals, etc. are prohibited.
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Promote the availability of fresh, unprocessed, or minimally processed foods.
sauce: BMJNews Release, February 28, 2024
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