Information pointing towards potential detrimental effects on health from consuming ultra-processed foods
Grub Down on Processed Foods at Your Own Peril
Modern research spotlights the potentially dangerous effects of gorging on prepackaged grub and sugary drinks. Two new studies validate these concerns and offer more insights on the cardiovascular and overall mortality risks associated with these eats.
Studies galore have pointed to a link between snarfing copious quantities of ultra-processed grub and a sharp rise in chronic health issues.
Sicknesses as diverse as cancer, type 2 diabetes, celiac disease, and multiple sclerosis have been associated with chowing down on processed eats.
Some studies hint that noshing on processed meat might boost the risk of an early demise.
Taking center stage are two studies appearing in the BMJ, lending weight to the notion that processed foods might not be the healthiest choice.
One study focused on the odds of suffering adverse cardiovascular issues, while the other zeroed in on the risk of mortality from any cause.
The Cardiovascular Hazards of Processed Grub
Bernard Srour, from the Epidemiology and Statistics Research Center at Sorbonne Paris Cité in France, is the leading light behind this research.
Srour and his colleagues scrutinized the connections between the consumption of ultra-processed grub and the chances of contracting cardiovascular diseases.
They delved into data on 105,159 adults, who had joined the NutriNet-Santé study, which is one of the largest worldwide studies of nutrition and health.
The participants, averaging 43 years old and mostly ladies (79%), filled out six questionnaires that assessed their daily dining habits, picking from a list of 3,300 edibles.
Srour and his gang grouped the goodies according to their "degree of processing." They define ultra-processed grub as items containing a slew of ingredients typically used by manufacturers for industrial purposes but perceived by consumers as "safe, convenient, and ultra-yummy."
Ultra-processed grub "often harbors more total fat, saturated fat, added sugar, energy density, and salt, while containing less fiber and nutrients," the study authors explain.
Cakes, cookies, sodas, prefab meals laden with food additives, and canned vegetable soups are some examples of ultra-processed grub.
Over a decade-long follow-up, between 2009 and 2018, the findings revealed that for each 10% increase in the amount of ultra-processed grub the participants scarfed down, the risk of:
- cardiovascular disease increased by 12%
- coronary heart disease increased by 13%
- cerebrovascular disease increased by 11%
Conversely, those who noshed on minimally processed or raw grub were less likely to develop these cardiovascular diseases.
The scientists calculated the cardiovascular risk in relative terms, pitting the cardiovascular risk of those who chomped on more processed grub against the cardiovascular risk of those who ate less.
"Multiple factors associated with processing, including the nutritional composition of the final product, additives, contact materials, and newly formed contaminants, might contribute to these associations," they postulate, hinting that more research is needed.
According to the American Heart Association (AHA), one out of every three U.S. fatalities is due to cardiovascular disease.
Processed Grub and Premature Demise
Anaïs Rico-Campà, from the Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health at the University of Navarra in Pamplona, Spain, orchestrated another study.
Rico-Campà and her posse aimed to probe the connections between the consumption of ultra-processed grub and the risk of mortality from any cause.
They scrutinized a total of 19,899 grown-ups, 12,113 of whom were female. The participants, averaging 38 years old, had enrolled in the Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra study.
As part of this study, the participants filled out a food questionnaire of 136 items. The researchers trailed them for a decade and categorized the foods they munched on based on their level of processing.
The study discovered that those who necked more than four helpings of ultra-processed grub each day were 62% more likely to keel over from any cause compared to those who chomped on two servings or less.
The relative risk of an untimely death rose by 18% with each additional serving of ultra-processed grub.
"Time to Rethink Our Priorities"
Though these studies are merely observational, the researchers encourage public health officials to take steps to boost the popularity of raw grub.
A crew of experts from the Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition at Deakin University in Geelong, Australia, also champion these viewpoints and commented on the two studies.
They assert, "The authors meticulously designed their studies, performing various sensitivity and secondary analyses, adjusting for well-known sociodemographic and physique risk factors and for well-established markers of dietary quality."
More extensive studies are essential, say the researchers, but they argue that policymakers should begin mulling over some changes. They conclude:
"Policymakers should shift their focus away from food tinkering—which risks portraying ultra-processed grub as a solution to dietary problems—toward a greater emphasis on promoting the availability, affordability, and accessibility of raw or minimally processed grub."
Munching on Processed Foods and Health Issues: The Skinny
Recent inquiries have spotlighted significant associations between the nosh of ultra-processed grub and various health issues. Here's the lowdown on the evidence:
Cardiovascular Diseases
- Heightened Risk: An additional 100 g/day of ultra-processed grub consumption is associated with a 5.9% increased risk of cardiovascular events[1][2][3].
- Mechanism: Ultra-processed grub tend to be high in added sugars, sodium, and harmful fats, which contribute to cardiovascular risks[2].
All-Cause Mortality
- Mortality Risk: Each additional 100 g/day of ultra-processed grub consumption is associated with a 2.6% higher risk of all-cause mortality[1][2][3].
Chronic Conditions
- Cancer: Each additional 100 g/day of ultra-processed grub consumption might boost the risk of cancer by 1.2%[1][2][3].
- Type 2 Diabetes: Although not as solidly supported, there is evidence of an increased risk of metabolic syndromes and diabetes, though the certainty of this evidence is weaker[1][2].
- Celiac Disease and Multiple Sclerosis: There is no documented evidence in these studies linking ultra-processed grub specifically to celiac disease or multiple sclerosis. However, the general health hazards associated with ultra-processed grub might exacerbate or contribute to various chronic conditions indirectly.
Other Health Risks
- Hypertension: An increased risk of hypertension by 14.5% is associated with each additional 100 g/day of ultra-processed grub consumption[1][2][3].
- Digestive Diseases: There is a 19.5% higher risk of digestive disorders with each 100 g/day uptick in ultra-processed grub intake[1][2].
- Obesity/Overweight: Enhanced consumption is linked to a greater risk of obesity and overweight[1][2].
- Depression/Anxiety: There is evidence suggesting an increased risk of depression and anxiety with heightened consumption of ultra-processed grub[1][2].
The evidence suggests a dose-response relationship, meaning that the more ultra-processed grub consumed, the more severe the health risks[2]. These findings have been backed by multiple cohort studies across various regions[1][2][5].
- The study led by Bernard Srour found that for every 10% increase in the consumption of ultra-processed food, there is a 12% increase in the risk of cardiovascular disease, a 13% increase in the risk of coronary heart disease, and an 11% increase in the risk of cerebrovascular disease.
- In another study, Anaïs Rico-Campà discovered that those who consume more than four servings of ultra-processed food each day are 62% more likely to die prematurely compared to those who consume two servings or less.
- A recent inquiry has shown significant associations between the consumption of ultra-processed food and various health issues, including cardiovascular diseases, all-cause mortality, chronic conditions like cancer and type 2 diabetes, hypertension, digestive diseases, obesity/overweight, and depression/anxiety.
- Public health officials are encouraged to take steps to increase the popularity of raw and minimally processed food in light of these studies, with policymakers urged to shift their focus from food tinkering to promoting the availability, affordability, and accessibility of raw or minimally processed food.
