Over a thirty-year period, research linked eating ultraprocessed meals to an increased risk of dying at an earlier age; however, the effects of various foods vary.
Dr. Mingyang Song, the primary author of the research and an associate professor of clinical epidemiology and nutrition at Harvard's TH Chan School of Public Health, asserted that ultraprocessed whole grains, for example, do not carry the same risks as processed meats and sugary meals and beverages.
The research included over 100,000 health professionals in the United States who had no prior history of cancer, cardiovascular disease, or diabetes, and analyzed their data. At regular intervals of two years, the participants gave information on their health and lifestyle behaviours from the year 1986 to the year 2018.
They were required to fill out a comprehensive dietary questionnaire once every four years.
The group that consumed the least amount of ultraprocessed food consumed an average of three servings per day, while the group that consumed the most consumed an average of seven servings per day.
According to the findings, those who consumed the greatest quantity of food had a 4% greater chance of dying from any cause, including a 9% increased risk of dying from neurodegenerative diseases.
According to Song, the association was "moderate," and he pointed out that the relationship was not equally strong across all types of ultraprocessed meals from different categories.
According to what he discussed, a few subgroups, such as processed meat and drinks that are either sugar-sweetened or artificially sweetened, primarily drive the favorable link.
The findings of this study, according to Dr. Marion Nestle, the Paulette Goddard professor emerita of nutrition, food studies, and public health at New York University, are very similar to those of hundreds of other studies conducted in the same field. However, what sets this particular study apart from others is that it differentiates between various subgroups that fall under the category of ultraprocessed foods.
Should we exclude all meals that have undergone ultraprocessing?
Song said that because ultraprocessed meals are a broad group, he would not necessarily recommend a complete rejection of all highly processed foods.
"Cereals and whole grain breads, for example, are also considered to be ultraprocessed foods; however, they contain a variety of beneficial nutrients such as fibre, vitamins, and minerals," he noted. However, I believe that individuals should strive to avoid or limit their consumption of some ultraprocessed items, including processed meat, sugar-sweetened drinks, and possibly even artificially sweetened beverages.
Furthermore, we need to address additional questions about foods that have undergone extreme processing.
The most recent research, while robust due to its extensive time span, is an observational study. According to Dr. Peter Wilde, an emeritus fellow at the Quadram Institute of Bioscience in the United Kingdom, this indicates that while researchers are able to notice a link, they are unable to assert that the meals were the cause of the fatalities.
Whether it be food additives, emulsifiers, or flavours, researchers need to examine more closely the components of ultraprocessed meals that could be influencing health in order to provide governments and institutions with advice on how to regulate foods, according to Song.
Diet, in general, is the most important factor
According to Song, researchers also discovered that the quality of a person's total diet is the most important factor in lowering the risk of mortality.
"I don't think people need to be scared or freaked out if they maintain a generally healthy diet," he added. "It's not necessary for them to panic." The overall dietary pattern remains the most important factor in determining the health consequences.
According to Wilde, a healthy diet should be diverse, include as many different kinds of colorful fruits and vegetables as possible, and include whole grains.
He said in an email that if you are concerned about food additives, you should choose foods with a low amount of additives. "It is important to keep in mind the nutritional value of the ultraprocessed foods that you choose to consume," the speaker said.
In addition to this, it is essential to acknowledge the need for maintaining a healthy, balanced diet. Fruit juice, when consumed in moderation, provides essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants; however, excessive consumption can lead to high sugar levels, potentially outweighing its benefits.
He said, "This is not a black-and-white situation." "There is no food that is either good or bad; rather, it will have components of both, and the amount you consume may determine the proportion of the two."
