For 30 years, scientists from multiple institutions around the world analyzed data from more than 100,000 medical professionals in the United States and found that people who eat more ultra-processed foods are more likely to die from any cause4. % higher and 9% more likely to die. neurodegeneration leading to death.
The study, conducted between 1986 and 2018, was published this week in the international research journal The BMJ. This provides further evidence that the consumption of ultra-processed foods is associated with serious health risks.
One of the surprising findings of this study is that cancer and cardiovascular disease are not the cause of the increased mortality associated with eating ultra-processed foods.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, ultra-processed foods are described as foods that contain “ingredients that are never or rarely used in the kitchen, or types of additives that function to make the final product tastier and more appealing.” Masu. These ingredients may include preservatives against bacteria, artificial colors, and chemicals used to create a particular texture.
Among different types of ultra-processed foods, ready-to-eat meat, poultry, and seafood products consistently showed strong associations with mortality. Consumption of sugary and artificially sweetened beverages, dairy-based desserts, and ultra-processed breakfast foods were also strongly associated with increased risk of death.
The study was led by academics from Harvard University, the University of Nevada, Nanjing Medical University in China, the University of São Paulo and Federal University of Uberlandia in Brazil, and Wageningen University in the Netherlands.
What are ultra-processed foods?
Not all processed foods are considered ultra-processed. The United Nations group said all edible products previously in the factory were considered processed foods and were not necessarily unhealthy.
In fact, according to UNFAO, food scientists, engineers, and food manufacturers agree that some food industrial processes have health benefits. Processes such as pasteurization, vacuum packing, drying, and non-alcoholic fermentation do not necessarily lead to poor health conditions.
Here, if a food is processed in a manner that involves the combination of ingredients “mostly used exclusively for industry, produced by a series of industrial processes, many of which require sophisticated equipment and technology,” then the food is It will be classified as a super-processed product. According to UNFAO, the NOVA food classification system is the most commonly applied in scientific literature.
Examples of ultra-processed foods
NOVA's food classification system considers the following items to be representative examples of ultra-processed foods.
Powdered milk Carbonated soft drinks Sweet, fatty, or salty packaged snacks Mass-produced packaged bread Manufactured cookies Margarine Energy drinks Sweet breakfast cereals Cooked meat, cheese, pasta, and pizza dishes Chicken nuggets Fish sticks Hamburgers Reconstituted meat products such as sausages, hot dogs, powders and packaged instant soups, noodles, desserts, cake mixes, meal replacement shakes, packaged fruits, yogurt packages, fruit drinks, dairy beverage packages, instant sauces
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