Love to tuck into a bag of crisps or lollies when the 3pm slump hits? Research shows it’s these ultra-processed foods that can do the most harm to our health in the long run.
We know that junk food is meant to be a ‘sometimes’ food, rather than a regular part of our diets.
But new research has revealed the extent to which highly processed foods can damage our health – and the results aren’t pretty.
The new study, led by researchers at Australian and international institutions, examined the results from 45 studies from over the past three years, to see just how bad highly processed foods actually are for our health.
The report was published in the BMJ, and with almost 10 million participants across the studies, it’s considered the largest review of its kind.
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So what did they find? Apparently nothing good. The researchers reported a “troubling reality” and “staggering statistics’, and proved that eating ultra-processed foods can put you at an increased risk of 32 health problems, including mental and physical, and can even cause death.
Per the ABC, the study found “convincing evidence” that high intake of ultra-processed foods was associated with:
- Approximately 50 per cent increased risk of cardiovascular disease-related death
- 48-53 per cent increased risk of anxiety and other common mental health conditions
- 12 per cent increased risk of type 2 diabetes
There was also “highly suggestive evidence” for:
- 21 per cent higher risk of death from any cause
- 40-66 per cent increased risk of heart disease-related death, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and sleep problems
- 22 per cent increased risk of depression
There was also evidence for increased rates of asthma, gastrointestinal ill-health, and cardiometabolic diseases.
“These foods may double your risk of dying from heart disease or from developing a mental health disorder,” said Dr Daisy Coyle, research fellow and accredited practicing dietitian at The George Institute for Global Health.
What are ultra-processed foods?
The study used the Nova food classification system to define ultra-processed foods, which “encompass a broad range of ready-to-eat products, including packaged snacks, carbonated soft drinks, instant noodles, and ready-made meals,” reads the report .
“These products are characterized as industrial formulations primarily composed of chemically modified substances extracted from foods, along with additives to enhance taste, texture, appearance, and durability, with minimal to no inclusion of whole food.”
Think of foods like packaged baked goods, ice cream, high-sugar cereal, chips, lollies and biscuits, along with ham, sausages and cans of soup.
“Some characteristics of ultra-processed foods include alterations to food matrices and textures, potential contaminants from packaging materials and processing, and the presence of food additives and other industrial ingredients, as well as nutrient-poor profiles (for example, higher energy, salt , sugar, and saturated fat, with lower levels of dietary fiber, micronutrients, and vitamins).”
Why are ultra-processed foods bad for us?
Ultra-processed foods contain high levels of saturated fat, salt and sugar, which are commonly known as “empty calories” – they have very high kilojoule counts, yet don’t do much to actually fuel our bodies, neither keeping them full nor giving us lots of nutrients.
These additives can also be responsible for negative health effects, which could be due to poorer nutrient profiles, the displacement of non-ultra-processed foods from the diet, and alterations to the physical structure of consumables through intensive ultra-processing.”
However, research shows it may not just be the nutrient profile that makes the food unhealthy, but rather how it is processed.
“Alterations in the food matrix during intensive processing, also known as dietary reconstitution, may affect digestion, nutrient absorption, and feelings of satiety,” reads the report, to which the British Heart Foundation attests.
“These factors, combined with the specific features of ultra-processed foods, raise concerns about overall diet quality and the health of populations more broadly.”
How much ultra-processed food do Australians actually eat?
Given Australia’s access to fresh fruit and vegetables, as compared to many other countries around the world, you might assume the consumption of ultra-processed food would be lower – but that’s actually far from the case.
The report shows that the share of dietary energy derived from ultra-processed foods is around 42 percent, with the United States clocking in at 58 per cent.
“Ultra-processed foods, laden with additives and sometimes lacking in essential nutrients, have become ubiquitous in the Australian diet,” says Coyle. “In fact, they make up almost half of what we buy at the supermarket.”
Countries like South Korea and Italy clocked low scores on the total energy intake from ultra-processed foods, at 10 per cent and 25 per cent respectively. Meanwhile, in low- and middle-income countries like Colombia and Mexico, the figures range from 16 per cent to 30 per cent of total energy intake, respectively.
“The availability and variety of ultra-processed products sold have substantially and rapidly increased in countries across diverse economic development levels, but especially in many highly populated low and middle-income nations,” reads the report.