But what's even more crucial, according to the experts, is the overall quality of your food.
This new research adds to the growing body of data suggesting that a diet that is heavy in ultra-processed foods might be detrimental to one's health and may even reduce one's lifespan. The total quality of the diet, on the other hand, had a more significant impact on mortality outcomes than the use of ultra-processed foods alone. However, not all meals that have been ultra-processed pose the same danger.
Researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health led an international study that found that consuming more ultra-processed foods increases the risk of negative health and longevity effects. The study also provides a link between the consumption of ultra-processed foods and a slightly increased risk of death from causes other than cancer and heart disease.
The British medical journal The BMJ published the results.
In their study, the researchers found that the risk varied depending on the subcategories of ultra-processed meals, with ready-to-eat goods based on meat, poultry, and seafood exhibiting especially substantial links with death. The research findings also revealed correlations with artificially sweetened sugar and drinks, white bread, dairy-based sweets, and highly processed breakfast meals.
The results lend credence to the idea that, for the sake of long-term health, it is prudent to restrict the use of certain kinds of ultra-processed foods. The study's results suggest conducting more research to improve the classification of ultra-processed meals and confirm our findings in various populations.
The same journal published an editorial pointing out that not all ultra-processed meals pose the same health risks. Furthermore, the editorial stated that avoiding ultra-processed food could potentially create the perception that non-ultra-processed foods are healthy and suitable for consumption. This is a source of concern."
Kathryn E. Bradbury and Sally Mackay, both nutrition specialists at the University of Australia, wrote the editorial. They asserted that packaged foods, often with a poor nutritional profile, dominate our global food system. Multinational food corporations, in the business of transforming inexpensive raw materials into marketable, pleasant, and shelf-stable food products, primarily design this system to suit their objectives.
The Washington Post explains that "ultra-processed foods encompass a broad category range that includes everything from cookies, doughnuts, and potato chips to hot dogs, white bread, and frozen meals." Scientists believe that the common denominator between these meals is their often-engineered formulations of industrial chemicals, designed by producers to achieve a specific 'bliss point' that encourages people to seek and overeat them. In addition to this, they often include a minimal amount of nutrients such as fibre, vitamins, and minerals.
The findings and solutions
Even if this is not the first research to establish a connection between excessive intake of ultra-processed foods and premature mortality, it is by far the most extensive one. Furthermore, it also provides the most comprehensive retrospective analysis.
The primary author of the research, Mingyang Song, who is also a professor of clinical epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, said to the Post that the use of ultra-processed foods has increased over time, as has the interest in understanding how these foods might potentially affect health. According to Song, they currently account for more than sixty percent of the calories consumed by Americans.
In the observational study, there were a total of 74,563 female nurses from 11 states who participated in the Nurses' Health Study between the years 1984 and 2018. Additionally, there were 39,501 male nurses from all 50 states who participated in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study between the years 1986 and 2018. Upon the commencement of their involvement in the research, none of the participants in the study had a previous history of cancer, cardiovascular disease, or diabetes.
The research had several shortcomings, the first of which was that it was unable to establish a causal relationship; it could only establish a correlation. Those who consume a large quantity of ultra-processed meals are more likely to engage in other harmful behaviours. They consume fewer whole fruits, vegetables, and grains, have a higher likelihood of smoking, and have a lower likelihood of engaging in physical activity. When conducting their investigation, the researchers took these aspects into consideration; nevertheless, it is possible that other variables also played a part in the research, as stated by the Post.
The primary reason why the largest organization of nutritionists and dietitians does not recommend a food detox Ultra-processed foods are associated with 32 health issues.
The editorial reveals that the inclusion of distilled alcohol, a well-established risk factor for premature mortality, in the ultra-processed category somewhat strengthened the association between ultra-processed food consumption and mortality. However, including packaged wholegrain products in the ultra-processed category resulted in a somewhat weaker association.
Researchers believe that whole grains are beneficial to individuals, and even the most highly processed versions of grains may be considered a healthy option. Additionally, the writers took into consideration the quality of the diet. According to The Conversation, the researchers discovered that there was no clear association between the amount of ultra-processed food that individuals consumed and the risk of premature death. This was the case for individuals who had diets that were high in healthy fats, sugary drinks, and red and processed meat, as well as high in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
In addition, the nutritionists who contributed to the editorial pointed out that several nations have successfully established "best buys and other interventions to better serve population health through the implementation of these programs." Some of the measures taken include the limitation of marketing unhealthy meals to children, the placement of warning labels on nutritionally deficient food items, the imposition of taxes on sugar-sweetened drinks, and the prohibition of partly hydrogenated oils, which are a source of industrial trans fat. To prevent multinational food firms with vested interests not aligned with public health or environmental objectives from influencing policies, we should prioritize lobbying for a broader worldwide adoption of these and more ambitious measures, while also enhancing existing protections.
Numerous other studies
Deseret News reports that the British Medical Journal published a megaanalysis of ultra-processed food in March, citing numerous associations with health issues. The article states that "the list of potential harms, prepared by an international team of researchers from Australia, France, Ireland, and the United States, includes '32 health parameters spanning mortality, cancer, and mental, respiratory, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and metabolic health outcomes."
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These researchers highlighted what they refer to as "convincing evidence" to support their claim that the intake of ultra-processed foods is directly associated with mortality from any cause and death due to cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, being overweight or obese, anxiety, and certain mental health difficulties. They requested further study to clarify probable relationships with some malignancies and specific hazards to heart health.
According to a second article by Deseret News, research conducted in Italy and the United States in 2022 discovered more reasons to cook your meals using whole foods that are presented in the most natural condition possible.
The research found that males had a higher chance of developing colon cancer, whereas the intake of a large quantity of ultra-processed food by either gender was associated with an increased risk of developing heart disease.
In an interview with CNN, Marion Nestle, who is a professor emerita of nutrition and food studies at New York University and the author of books on food politics and marketing, said that "literally hundreds of studies link ultra-processed foods to obesity, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and overall mortality."
