ABC NEWS (AUS) – We have long been told that junk food is bad for us.
But a new review by experts at leading international institutions sheds light on just how damaging a diet of instant noodles, chips, fast food, and ready-made meals can be.
The researchers delved into the results of 45 previous studies, published over the past three years, involving almost 10 million participants.
Considered the largest review of its kind, researchers found “strong evidence” that eating ultra-processed foods can put you at higher risk of 32 different health problems, both physical and mental — and even early death.
After what they call “staggering statistics” that reveal “a troubling reality”, the research, published in the BMJ, is calling for UN agencies to take stronger action.
And the experts want countries like Australia to adopt similar measures used to curb smoking.
Let’s unpack what they found.
What are considered ultra-processed foods?
The umbrella review used the Nova food classification system to define ultra-processed foods (UPF).
Nova is a widely used system that aims at classifying food products according to the nature, extent and purpose of industrial processing.
It classes UPFs as a broad range of ready-to-eat products, including packaged snacks, soft drinks, instant noodles, and ready-made meals.
Researchers also specifically mentioned foods such as packaged baked goods, ice-cream, sugary cereal, chips, lollies and biscuits.
These types of products are characterised as “industrial formulations”.
Essentially, UPFs are “products made up of foods that have undergone significant processing and no longer resemble the raw ingredients,” said Charlotte Gupta from the Appleton Institute at Central Queensland University.
UPFs are primarily composed of chemically modified substances extracted from foods, along with additives to enhance taste, texture, appearance and durability, with minimal to no inclusion of whole foods.
They also tend to be high in added sugar, fat, and salt, and low in vitamins and fibre …
