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New labelling has been introduced in several countries amid concerns about ultra-processed foods and their impact on health. Researchers say British teenagers are consuming almost two-thirds of their daily calories from ultra-processed foods (UPF), with intake highest among vulnerable groups.
The findings were based on an analysis of food diaries kept between 2008 and 2019 by nearly 3,000 participants aged 11 to 18 as part of the UK’s National Diet and Nutrition Survey, The Guardian reports. Although the authors found that UPF intake fell slightly over the course of the study, from 68% to 63%, the findings suggest that British teenagers are still eating more of the food than other age groups. What did the study reveal? Lead author Dr Yanaina Chavez-Ugalde of the University of Cambridge said the findings highlight the need to address the dominance of ultra-processed foods in adolescent diets. “Adolescence is a unique stage in life where individuals gain more independence and have more freedom to make their own choices about what they eat. It’s also a time when healthy behaviours tend to intensify,” she said. “I think there is a place for it in our diets… but not as much as we consume.”
Chavez-Ugalde said whole grains and breads can be important sources of fiber, even when ultra-processed, but the recommended intake is closer to 20 percent, not two-thirds. She added that comprehensive policy measures, including better food education, marketing regulations and improved access to nutritious foods, are needed to encourage adolescents to make healthier choices. What are these foods? UPF are industrially produced foods that contain the following: preservatives, sweeteners, artificial flavors, emulsifiers and other additives. They are often high in sugar, saturated fat and sodium, are associated with poor diet quality and have been linked to many health risks, including obesity, type 2 diabetes and cancer.
In the latest study, the authors used the formal NOVA criteria to define UPF, assessing more than 5,000 foods recorded in food journals, including most supermarket breads, breakfast cereals, crisps and ready meals. The study, conducted in collaboration with the University of Bristol, found that while on average teenagers got 66% of their calories from UPF, there were differences between societies. People from more disadvantaged backgrounds consumed more UPF (68.4%) than those from less disadvantaged backgrounds (63.8%). Consumption was higher in people from white versus non-white backgrounds (67.3% versus 59%), and in the north of England versus the south at 67.4% versus 64.1%, respectively. Across all age groups, 18-year-olds consumed slightly less UPF (63.4%) than 11-year-olds (65.6%). “If you ask a lot of people, they know how to eat healthily,” says Chávez-Ugarde. “UPF are replacing or displacing minimally processed foods because they are more convenient and cheaper.” Details are published in the European Journal of Nutrition. “While the intake of ultra-processed foods has declined in recent years, the proportion of energy consumed from ultra-processed foods as a percentage of total daily energy is still very high,” said Carmen Piernas-Sanchez, a nutrition researcher at the University of Oxford who was not involved in the study. Similar figures have been reported in other countries, such as the United States. Future studies of this type should report the main food sources that contribute most to UPF consumption, which could further help inform policies to improve the quality of the UK population’s diet,” she added. Some countries introduce labelling Concerns about UPF and their potential health effects have led some countries to introduce new labelling for these foods. But Gunter Kuhnle, professor of nutrition and food science at the University of Reading, cautioned against the move. “Setting a new threshold for things to avoid is probably not the best idea. I think it would be better to move to the more positive side. It also makes sense because there is a lot of disagreement about what to avoid. Should we eat healthier? Yes. But recommending not to consume product X requires strong evidence.”
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