It's widely recognised that the overconsumption of ultra-processed food (UPF) can lead to serious health issues. These pre-packaged items, often packed with a lengthy list of ingredients, have been associated with obesity and a host of other health problems. A report published earlier this year in the BMJ has taken this understanding a step further.
It has linked UPF to an increased risk of 32 harmful health outcomes including cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and depression. The study, carried out by an international team from Deakin University in Australia, analysed data from nearly ten million individuals across various previously published studies. The results showed that those who regularly consumed the highest amounts of UPF had a 21% higher risk of premature death and a 50% increased risk of dying from heart disease .
High UPF consumption was also connected to a 22% higher risk of depression, and approximately a 50% increased risk of anxiety and poor sleep patterns. Alarmingly, it's estimated that 57% of daily energy intake for UK adults comes from UPF, with an even higher percentage of 66% seen in adolescents. As reports Gloucestershire Live , Dr Chris van Tulleken has explained how ubiquitous UPFs are in food.
Dr van Tulleken is an associate professor at UCL and author of Ultra-Processed People: Why Do We All Eat Stuff That Isn't Food ...
and Why Can't We Stop? . "These sweeteners used to be limited to little sachets and diet soft drinks," he explained to the Times. ".