By Stacy M. Brown
Americans are consuming ultra-processed foods at staggering levels, and a newly released report warns the products are fueling rising rates of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, depression, and other chronic illnesses across the country, including in the District of Columbia.
The report, “Ultraprocessed Foods in the U.S.: Recommended Definitions and Policies,” was released by Healthy Eating Research and developed by a 14-member panel of nutrition, food science, epidemiology, food law, and public policy experts. Researchers found that ultra-processed foods account for between 53% and 58% of calories consumed by U.S. adults and 62% of calories consumed by children and teenagers.
The new report defines ultra-processed foods, commonly known as UPFs, as industrially manufactured products containing few or no whole-food ingredients and produced through intense physical and chemical processing methods designed to maximize shelf life, convenience, and taste appeal. Examples listed by researchers include sweetened and diet beverages, packaged chips, candy, flavored dairy products, processed meats, breakfast cereals, commercial breads, baked goods, and ready-to-eat meals.
Researchers said evidence linking ultra-processed foods to serious health problems continues to grow. The report cited studies connecting heavy UPF consumption to cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, anxiety, depression, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, poor sleep, and increased mortality.
The panel also pointed to randomized controlled trials showing that people consuming diets dominated by ultra-processed foods consumed more calories and experienced worse weight outcomes than those eating minimally processed diets, even when meals contained similar amounts of sugar, sodium, fiber, and calories.
Researchers described several possible mechanisms contributing to harm, including what they called hyperpalatability, addictive characteristics, food matrix degradation, and exposure to additives and industrial contaminants.
The full article originally appeared on The Washington Informer
