Despite Health Concerns, American Diets Overrun by Ultra-Processed Foods
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Millions of Americans eat ultra-processed foods as a mainstay in their diets. These foods range from cereal and canned soup to prepackaged meals and chips.
But mounting research suggests that ultra-processed foods may come with a serious cost.
A study published in The BMJ linked ultra-processed foods to more than 30 different adverse health conditions. The research suggested that these foods, which include additives like fat and salt, are tied to cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and more.
“This umbrella review found consistent evidence of a higher risk of adverse health outcomes associated with greater ultra-processed food exposure,” the study stated.
The study also uncovered strong associations between consumption of ultra-processed foods and mental health disorders.
Ultra-Processed Foods Becoming Larger Part of Americans’ Diets
According to Harvard Medical School, processing food changes it from its natural state by adding a number of additional ingredients that are extracted from other foods. This includes oils, starches and hydrogenated fats.
These highly processed options are increasingly replacing natural foods in people’s diets. Johns Hopkins researchers recently found that ultra-processed foods, sometimes called UPFs, account for more than half of the calories that American adults consume at home.
Additionally, the Associated Press reports that ultra-processed foods make up about two thirds of what teens and kids eat.
“These results speak to the predominant role that UPFs play across the food system,” the study stated.
With the consumption of ultra-processed foods on the rise, the amount of lightly processed or natural foods that Americans eat is shrinking.
Researchers determined that calories coming from minimally processed foods have declined both when people are eating out and at home.
This may play a role in why so many health issues are tied to diets high in processed foods.
The researchers behind the BMJ study pointed out that when ultra-processed foods displace healthier options, people also lose out on the health benefits they gain from eating those foods. Fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds all provide valuable nutrients necessary to maintain a balanced diet.
“Such nutrient-poor dietary profiles have been implicated in the prevalence and incidence of chronic diseases,” the study stated.
Despite the potential health concerns, the rise of ultra-processed foods appears likely to continue. Research from 2023 showed that 73% of the U.S. food supply was ultra-processed.
The BMJ study also cited marketing strategies by manufacturers as a factor behind the growing amount of processed food people are eating, noting the impact that “captivating packaging” and “health related assertions” have on consumers.