ReportWire

Tag: ultraprocessed foods

  • Aiming for a healthier year? A doctor shares the 5 science-backed habits that matter most

    [ad_1]

    (CNN) — Was that you I spotted at that New Year’s Day group class at my local YMCA? If not, don’t worry. It’s not too late. The start of a new year is a natural time to think about health and make resolutions for science-backed habits that make a difference over months and years.

    Rather than extreme diets or complicated regimens, decades of research point to a handful of simple behaviors that are consistently tied to better long-term health.

    To start the year right, I wanted you to know the most important things you can focus on this year to improve your current physical and mental well-being and have it pay off for decades to come. And yes, I know how hard it can be to realistically follow through when motivation is low or life gets busy.

    I asked CNN wellness expert Dr. Leana Wen to break down five practical, evidence-based actions that can make a real difference in 2026 and beyond. Wen is an emergency physician and adjunct associate professor at George Washington University. She previously served as Baltimore’s health commissioner.

    CNN: For your first tip, you said to prioritize regular exercise. Why does exercise matter so much for health?

    Dr. Leana Wen: Regular physical activity is one of the most powerful tools we have for preventing chronic disease and improving quality of life. It benefits virtually every organ system in the body. Even short bouts of moderate exercise, such as brisk walking, can lower blood pressure, improve cholesterol levels, boost mood and strengthen the heart.

    For adults, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week plus muscle-strengthening activities on two or more days. Even if you can’t hit those recommendations, some activity is better than none. If you do not currently exercise, start with a 5- or 10-minute brisk walk once a day; if you already walk regularly, try adding a few extra minutes at a time and increasing your pace.

    CNN: Your second tip is to get checkups at least annually. Why is that so important?

    Wen: Periodic checkups with a clinician are essential because many high-risk conditions develop silently. Hypertension, or high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes, for example, often have no obvious symptoms until they have already caused significant damage to the heart, kidneys and blood vessels. Detecting and treating these conditions early dramatically lowers the risk of heart attack, stroke, kidney disease and other serious complications.

    A checkup gives you a chance to assess risk factors like cholesterol, glucose levels, body mass index and lifestyle habits. You also can establish monitoring or treatment plans with your provider before problems become severe. Timely treatment through lifestyle changes, medication or both can slow or even reverse disease progression.

    These visits also pose an important opportunity to review vaccinations. Recommendations and public messaging from federal health agencies may change, but your clinician can help you understand which vaccines are appropriate for you based on your age, health conditions and personal risk. Staying up to date on routine vaccines — such as flu, Covid-19 and others recommended for your situation — remains one of the most effective ways to prevent serious illness and protect both individual and community health.

    CNN: Your third tip is to get adequate sleep. Why does sleep matter as much as diet or exercise?

    Wen: Sleep is not optional; it’s a biological necessity that affects nearly every aspect of health we care about. Without adequate sleep, your body has trouble repairing tissues, regulating hormones and managing energy balance.

    Research suggests that chronic insufficient sleep is linked to greater risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and mood disorders. One reason may involve hormonal regulation: Sleep deprivation increases hunger hormones and decreases satiety hormones, which can promote overeating, especially of high-calorie foods.

    Sleep also affects immune function and cognitive performance, so consistent rest helps us to better respond to stress and supports memory, attention and emotional regulation. Most adults benefit from seven to nine hours of sleep per night, and prioritizing regular sleep schedules can improve quality over time.

    CNN: Your fourth tip centers on diet quality, in particular cutting out ultraprocessed foods. Why is working toward a healthier diet so important, and what steps can people take to improve nutrition?

    Wen: What you eat influences your health in important ways. Ultraprocessed foods have become a dominant part of the American diet, accounting for more than half of total calories in many age groups. These foods, which include sugary drinks, packaged snacks, fast food, ready meals and sweetened cereals, are generally high in added sugars, unhealthy fats and sodium, and low in fiber, vitamins and minerals.

    High consumption of ultraprocessed foods is linked to obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and even depression and mental health conditions. Replacing ultraprocessed items with whole or minimally processed foods (vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean proteins, legumes and nuts) supports both physical and mental health and helps stabilize energy, blood sugar and appetite.

    CNN: Your fifth tip may surprise some people: Consider social connection a core part of staying healthy.

    Wen: Human beings are social creatures, and our relationships have direct implications for our health. Strong social connections with family, friends, colleagues and community groups are associated with lower rates of anxiety and depression, better immune function, and reduced risk of chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes. Conversely, social isolation and loneliness have been linked to increased risk of cardiovascular disease, cognitive decline and early mortality.

    Social connection motivates healthier behaviors and provides emotional support during stress, and it encourages engagement in physical activity and other positive habits. Simple acts, such as going for walks with friends, regular catch-up phone calls, shared meals or other group activities, are good for short-term mental health. These interactions also represent a long-term investment in your mental and physical health.

    CNN: What advice do you have for people trying to follow these five tips in real life?

    Wen: The most important thing is to concentrate on consistency. These habits do not need to be done perfectly to have an impact. Small, repeated actions add up. For instance, walking most days is far better than exercising hard once a month. Going to regular checkups is crucial, rather than waiting until something feels wrong. Improving sleep by even 30 to 60 minutes a night can make a meaningful difference.

    It also helps to remember that these five areas are deeply connected. Getting enough sleep makes it easier to exercise and eat well. Regular physical activity improves sleep quality and mood. Social connection supports motivation and resilience, making it more likely that people stick with healthy routines. So instead of treating these as separate goals, think of them as reinforcing one another.

    Finally, give yourself permission to start where you are. Health is not built in January alone, and it is not derailed by a bad week or a missed goal. The aim is consistent progress. Choosing habits that feel realistic and sustainable, and returning to them when life gets busy, is what makes these five tips work over the long run.

    [ad_2]

    Katia Hetter and CNN

    Source link

  • Rates of high blood pressure in children have nearly doubled in 20 years

    [ad_1]

    (CNN) — Global rates of hypertension, or high blood pressure, in childhood and adolescence have nearly doubled since 2000, putting more kids at risk for poor health later in life.

    “In 2000, about 3.4% of boys and 3% of girls had hypertension. By 2020, those numbers had risen to 6.5% and 5.8% respectively,” said Dr. Peige Song, a researcher from the School of Public Health at Zhejiang University School of Medicine in China. Song is one of the authors of a study describing the findings that published Wednesday in the journal The Lancet Child and Adolescent Health.

    Children who have hypertension could be at greater risk later on of developing heart disease –– the No. 1 cause of death in the United States, said Dr. Mingyu Zhang, assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. He was not involved in the research.

    “The good news is that this is a modifiable risk,” Song said in an email. “With better screening, earlier detection, and a stronger focus on prevention, especially around healthy weight and nutrition, we can intervene before complications arise.”

    High blood pressure in kids can be addressed

    The rise in hypertension in children is likely due to many factors.

    Childhood obesity is a significant risk factor, because it is associated with factors like insulin resistance, inflammation and vascular function, Song said.

    Dietary factors such as consuming high levels of sodium and ultraprocessed food can also contribute to hypertension risk, as well as poor sleep quality, stress and genetic predisposition, she said.

    Many children also get less movement than past generations and spend more time on sedentary activities, like screen use, which may be affecting risk, she said.

    “We are also starting to know that other factors, including environmental pollutants, can contribute,” Zhang added.

    Zhang served as senior author on a previous study that showed a connection between prebirth exposure to chemicals called PFAS — a class of about 15,000 human-made compounds linked to cancers, endocrine-related conditions and developmental issues in children — and childhood hypertension. Short for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, PFAS are sometimes called “forever chemicals” because they don’t fully break down in the environment.

    The biggest takeaway of this research for families is not to assume high blood pressure is only a problem for adults, Song said.

    If you are worried about your child’s risk for obesity or hypertension, pressure, shame and restriction are not the best approaches.

    Instead, focus on increasing healthy behaviors in a happy way, said Jill Castle, a pediatric dietitian in Massachusetts, in a previous CNN article.

    “The goal of the food pillar is really to embrace flexibility with food and to emphasize foods that are highly nutritious and … to allow foods also that might be minimally nutritious within the diet in ways that can be fully enjoyed and flexible,” Castle said.

    Try to prioritize sitting down as a family for meals and avoid labeling foods as “good” or “bad,” said Castle, author of “Kids Thrive at Every Size.”

    “The clean plate club or rewarding with sweets — they might work in the moment, but they don’t do a good job of establishing the self-trust and an intuitive, good relationship with food as kids grow up,” Castle said.

    Masked hypertension in children

    The study didn’t just track rates in the United States. Instead, researchers analyzed data from 96 studies across 21 countries.

    Another important consideration the study team made is how blood pressure differs in and outside the doctor’s office. Some children might have normal blood pressure at home, but a higher reading in the office, while others might have a lower blood pressure in the office than they normally would.

    By including data from both office visits and at-home blood pressure readings, the researchers were able to include hypertension rates that are “masked,” or wouldn’t be caught in a doctor’s visit, Zhang said. Masked hypertension was found to be the most common kind, according to the data.

    “This is important because it means that many children with true hypertension could go undetected if we rely only on office blood pressure readings,” he said.

    The result show that one reading may not be enough, and there may be a need for more scalable solutions for better monitoring and care of hypertension around the world, Song added.

    [ad_2]

    Madeline Holcombe and CNN

    Source link

  • RFK Jr. promised to ‘Make Our Children Healthy Again.’ Here’s how he plans to do it

    [ad_1]

    (CNN) — President Donald Trump’s strategy to ‘Make America Healthy Again’ includes investigating vaccine injuries and pharmaceutical practices but stops short of new regulatory action, for now.

    US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. unveiled the MAHA strategy on Tuesday, joined by Agriculture Department Secretary Brooke Rollins, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin, and other top Trump officials.

    The report hews closely to a draft document circulated in August that cites earlier Trump administration announcements — developing a definition for ultraprocessed foods, educating the public about synthetic kratom — but largely bypassed industry crackdowns.

    Language around pesticides strategy also remained unchanged. Environmental and food activists had rallied for the administration to include steps to reduce pesticide usage and probe potential health risks of commonly used chemicals such as RoundUp.

    The report says that USDA, EPA and the National Institutes of Health will develop a framework to study cumulative exposures to chemicals including pesticides and microplastics. USDA and EPA will also invest in new farming approaches to reduce chemical use, and EPA will launch a public awareness campaign about the limited risk of approved products.

    The commission’s first report this May suggested a broad range of factors driving chronic disease in the US, including ultraprocessed foods, environmental exposures, and overprescription of pharmaceuticals like antidepressants.

    The report noted previous announcements that HHS, the NIH and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services are studying the causes of autism. Kennedy had previously promised some answers on the root causes in September; NIH is expected to announce autism research grants this month.

    Recent reports suggest that HHS will issue a report that links the development of autism to taking Tylenol during pregnancy.

    Medicines and vaccines

    Kennedy has drawn criticism for suggesting antidepressants, particularly those that are part of a family known as SSRIs are as addictive as heroin and can be dangerous. Following the August 27 shooting in Minneapolis, he told Fox News that HHS is launching studies “on the potential contribution of some of the SSRI drugs and some of the other psychiatric drugs that might be contributing to violence.”

    SSRIs, or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, are the most prescribed class of antidepressants for depression, anxiety disorders and many other mental health conditions. Several SSRIs have been on the market in the United States since the 1990s, including Prozac, Zoloft and Celexa. Experts agree that there is no scientific evidence or correlation between these drugs and violence towards others.

    Tuesday’s report states that HHS will assemble a working group of federal officials to evaluate SSRI prescribing patterns, specifically among children. HHS will also “evaluate the therapeutic harms and benefits of current diagnostic thresholds,” or the current common practices doctors use to diagnose patients with mental health disorders.

    Dr. Theresa Miskimen Rivera, president of the American Psychiatric Association said access to care, not over-medication is the bigger problem when it comes to helping kids’ mental health in the country, and there is no mention of the issue in the report. The report said addressing a child’s nutrition, screen time, and exercise can improve their mental health, but can’t address everything. “Psychiatric conditions are complex in nature,” she said. Extreme poverty, post traumatic stress disorder, trauma-related factors should also be addressed, but there is no mention in the report of any of those issues either.

    “In terms of over medication, that’s not what we do. We have a comprehensive evaluation and we are evidence based. We diagnose than create a comprehensive treatment plan, “ Miskimen Rivera told CNN. “Medication can save lives, not only in children, but in adults and elderly.”

    When asked about whether or not the commission chose to consider gun violence – the leading cause of death for children – as one of the issues to be investigated, Kennedy doubled down on the issue of prescription drugs, saying “We are doing studies now, or initiating studies to look at the correlation and the connection, potential connection between over medicating our kids and this violence.”

    HHS will also work with the White House Domestic Policy Council on a new vaccine framework that, the report said, will ensure “America has the best childhood vaccine schedule” and ensure “scientific and medical freedom.”

    The report comes as Kennedy continues to defend his shakeup of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention over vaccine policy, including the ouster of CDC Director Dr. Susan Monarez.

    The administration will also increase oversight of “deceptive” direct-to-consumer advertising of pharmaceutical products, including from social media influencers and telehealth companies, it said.

    Food policy stays the course

    FDA will continue work on developing a definition for ultraprocessed foods, but the report bypasses recommendations, like those of former FDA Director Dr. David Kessler, to essentially order certain additives off the market until they are reviewed.

    Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, director of Tufts Food is Medicine Institute said a definition of ultraprocessed foods would be “really important.” With more than half of calories in the food supply coming from ultraprocessed foods, addressing this and other issues involving the nation’s diet would mean a “massive fight with the industry and is going to be incredibly controversial, but is much needed.”

    “Overall, this is really quite thorough, quite specific, and even if parts of this are accomplished, this could have tremendous positive impact for Americans,” Mozaffarian told CNN.

    Other experts, like Marion Nestle, agreed the report was ambitious in scope, but noted it fell short on regulatory action. “What’s still missing is regulation. So much of this is voluntary, work with, promote, partner,” said Nestle, who is the Paulette Goddard professor emerita of nutrition, food studies and public health at New York University.

    The report also nods to new, user-friendly dietary guidelines expected later this year. Kennedy has promised a vastly shortened set of recommendations that will emphasize whole foods.

    The commission also cited ongoing work to reduce ultraprocessed foods in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Head Start.

    While the report also touches on agriculture deregulation with the aim of making it easier for small farms to get greater access to markets and schools, Ken Cook, co-founder of the Environmental Working Group, a health advocacy organization said the report abandons earlier MAHA promises to ban toxic pesticides and instead “echoes the pesticide industry’s talking points.”

    “Secretary Kennedy and President Trump cynically convinced millions they’d protect children from harmful farm chemicals – promises now exposed as hollow,” Cook said in a statement.

    There were minor changes from the draft document leaked in August. For instance, the August 6 draft stated that the FDA and other agencies will crack down on “Illegal Chinese Vapes,” while the final version promises enforcement on vapes more broadly.

    “We support the goal of making children healthier and addressing and preventing chronic disease, but unfortunately, the recommendations fall short in some really critical ways,” Laura Kate Bender, vice president nationwide advocacy and public policy for the American Lung Association told CNN.

    “They continue to cast doubt on vaccines, one of the most, important, proven public health interventions that we can have for kids health. They don’t address some major contributors to diseases in kids like pollution, tobacco use, beyond the mention of vaping, and this report is coming out at the same time that we’re continuing to see dramatic cuts in staff and funding of a lot of the programs that could make the good parts of the report a reality.”

    The report’s emphasis on kids’ health can help overall, Dr. Michelle Macy, director of the Mary Ann & J. Milburn Smith Child Health Outcomes, Research and Evaluation Center in Chicago told CNN. “I’m really trying to look for bright spots in this report, and I think that the focus on data and infrastructure for us to be able to answer big questions about what environmental and food exposures and medication exposures do to shape the trajectory of someone’s health and chronic disease across the lifespan is something that has promise and potential.”

    Dr. Richard Besser, pediatrician and president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation said that having a focus on preventing chronic disease in children is a good thing, but he said, with Kennedy’s track record that includes firing thousands of federal health employees, slashing millions in health research funding, dismantling entire offices that managed important issues like smoking and chronic disease specifically, in addition to his “assault on vaccinations” will undermine any potential good of this kind of report.

    “Neither RFK Jr.’s record, nor his policies outlined in the report give me confidence that he is going to make any difference whatsoever on chronic diseases in children,” Besser told CNN.

    [ad_2]

    Sarah Owermohle, Jen Christensen and CNN

    Source link

  • Nearly half of people with diabetes don’t know they have it, new study finds

    [ad_1]

    (CNN) — When was the last time you had your blood sugar checked? It might be worth looking into, a new study says.

    Forty-four percent of people age 15 and older living with diabetes are undiagnosed, so they don’t know they have it, according to data analysis published Monday in the journal The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology.

    The study looked at data from 204 countries and territories from 2000 to 2023 in a systematic review of published literature and surveys. The findings at the global level are for people age 15 and older.

    “The majority of people with diabetes that we report on in the study have type 2 diabetes,” said Lauryn Stafford , the lead author of the study.

    Around 1 in 9 adults live with diabetes worldwide, according to the International Diabetes Foundation. In the United States, 11.6% of Americans have diabetes, according to 2021 data from the American Diabetes Association.

    “We found that 56% of people with diabetes are aware that they have the condition,” said Stafford, a researcher for the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. “Globally, there’s a lot of variation geographically, and also by age. So, generally, higher-income countries were doing better at diagnosing people than low- and middle-income countries.”

    Younger people don’t know they have diabetes

    People under 35 years were much less likely to be diagnosed if they had diabetes than people in middle age or older. Just “20% of young adults with diabetes were aware of their condition,” Stafford said.

    Routine screenings aren’t promoted as much for young adults as for older adults. Many larger organizations, like the American Diabetes Association, suggest annual routine screenings for adults 35 and older.

    “You can survive with elevated glucose levels for many, many years,” Stafford said. “People end up getting diagnosed with diabetes only at the point where they have complications,” which are more common in older adults.

    Depending on how long a person has had diabetes before it’s discovered, the health impacts may vary.

    “Diagnosing diabetes early is important because it allows for timely management to prevent or delay long-term complications such as heart disease, kidney failure, nerve damage, and vision loss,” said Rita Kalyani, chief scientific and medical officer at the American Diabetes Association. She was not involved in the study.

    Around one-third of adults are diagnosed with diabetes later than their earliest symptom, according to a 2018 study.

    What symptoms should you look for?

    “Symptoms of diabetes include increased thirst or hunger, frequent urination, blurry vision, unexpected weight loss, and fatigue. However, in the early stages, most people with diabetes are asymptomatic, which highlights the importance of screening and diagnosis,” said Kalyani, a professor of medicine in the division of endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism at Johns Hopkins University.

    If you experience any of these symptoms or have a history of diabetes in your family, experts recommend you get a glucose screening.

    Globally, in 2023, about 40% of people with treated diabetes were getting optimal results and lowering their blood sugar, said Stafford. That’s why it’s important that future efforts focus on ensuring that more people receive and follow proper treatment post-diagnosis.

    That only 4 in 10 patients were seeing optimal results was surprising, as several well-established treatments, including insulin, Metformin and other drugs like GLP-1s, are available.

    People with diabetes likely also have other health issues, such as hypertension or chronic kidney disease, which can make treatment complex, Stafford added.

    Can you prevent diabetes?

    It depends.

    While there is no known way to prevent type 1 diabetes, there are many ways to prevent the more common form of type 2 diabetes.

    Reducing the amount of red and processed meats you eat can help lower your risk of type 2 diabetes, as previously reported by CNN. You could do this with a Mediterranean diet or by introducing more plant-based foods to your meals.

    In addition, limit the amount of ultraprocessed foods you eat, adding more whole foods, like fruits and nuts, instead.

    Incorporating physical activity into your regular routine can also decrease your risk of developing not only diabetes but also other chronic diseases. Fast walking for at least 15 minutes a day is just one form of exercise you can do.

    “I think, ultimately, if we can also focus more on the risk factors for developing diabetes — preventing people from needing to be diagnosed in the first place — that is also critical,” Stafford said.

    [ad_2]

    Gina Park and CNN

    Source link

  • Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study

    Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study

    [ad_1]

    Eating ultraprocessed foods is associated with an early risk of death, according to a 30-year study — but different foods have different impacts.Ultraprocessed foods are those that contain ingredients “never or rarely used in kitchens, or classes of additives whose function is to make the final product palatable or more appealing,” according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.Those ingredients — found in things such as sodas, chips, packaged soups, nuggets and ice cream — can include preservatives against mold or bacteria, artificial coloring, emulsifiers to stop separation, and added or altered sugar, salt and fats to make food more appealing.Processed meats and sugary foods and drinks aren’t correlated with the same risks as ultraprocessed whole grains, for example, said lead study author Dr. Mingyang Song, associate professor of clinical epidemiology and nutrition at Harvard’s TH Chan School of Public Health.The study analyzed data from more than 100,000 health professionals in the United States with no history of cancer, cardiovascular disease or diabetes. From 1986 to 2018, the participants provided information on their health and lifestyle habits every two years.Every four years, they completed a detailed food questionnaire.The group eating the least ultraprocessed food ate about three servings a day on average, while the highest averaged seven servings a day, according to the study published Wednesday in The BMJ journal.Those who ate the most had a 4% higher risk of deaths by any cause, including a 9% increased risk of neurodegenerative deaths, the data showed.Song described the correlation as “moderate,” noting that the connection was not equally strong among all kinds of ultraprocessed foods.“The positive association is mainly driven by a few subgroups including processed meat and sugar sweetened or artificially sweetened beverages,” he said.Findings in this study were consistent with hundreds of others in the field, but what makes this one unique is its parsing out of different subgroups within the ultraprocessed food category, said Dr. Marion Nestle, the Paulette Goddard professor emerita of nutrition, food studies and public health at New York University.Do we need to get rid of all ultraprocessed foods?Song wouldn’t necessarily advise a complete rejection of all ultraprocessed foods because it is a diverse category, he said.“Cereals, whole grain breads, for example, they are also considered ultraprocessed food, but they contain various beneficial nutrients like fiber, vitamins and minerals,” he said. “On the other hand, I do think people should try to avoid or limit the consumption of certain ultraprocessed foods, such as processed meat, sugar-sweetened beverages and also potentially artificially sweetened beverages.”There are also more questions that need to be answered when it comes to ultraprocessed foods. First, the recent study is strong because of the length of time covered, but it is an observational study. That means that while researchers can observe a correlation, they can’t say that the foods were the cause of the deaths, said Dr. Peter Wilde, emeritus fellow at Quadram Institute Bioscience in the United Kingdom.Researchers also need to look more at the components of ultraprocessed foods that might be affecting health — whether they be food additives, emulsifiers or flavors — to advise governments and institutions on how to regulate foods, Song said.Overall diet matters mostResearchers also found that the most important factor to reducing risk of death is the quality of a person’s overall diet, Song said.“If people maintain a generally healthy diet, I don’t think they need to be like scared or be freaked out,” he said. “The overall dietary pattern is still the predominant factor determining the health outcomes.”A healthy diet is varied, with as many colorful fruits and vegetables and whole grains as possible, Wilde said.“If you are worried about food additives, then choose foods that have low levels of additives,” he said in an email. “Just be mindful of the nutritional content of (the ultraprocessed foods) that you do choose to consume.” It is also important to recognize that foods need to be eaten in balance. Fruit juice contains beneficial vitamins, minerals and antioxidants when consumed in moderation, but too much will have high levels of sugar that may override their benefits, Wilde said.“This is not black and white,” he said. “A particular food is not either good or bad, it will contain elements of both, and the balance between the two may depend on how much you eat.”

    Eating ultraprocessed foods is associated with an early risk of death, according to a 30-year study — but different foods have different impacts.

    Ultraprocessed foods are those that contain ingredients “never or rarely used in kitchens, or classes of additives whose function is to make the final product palatable or more appealing,” according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

    Those ingredients — found in things such as sodas, chips, packaged soups, nuggets and ice cream — can include preservatives against mold or bacteria, artificial coloring, emulsifiers to stop separation, and added or altered sugar, salt and fats to make food more appealing.

    Processed meats and sugary foods and drinks aren’t correlated with the same risks as ultraprocessed whole grains, for example, said lead study author Dr. Mingyang Song, associate professor of clinical epidemiology and nutrition at Harvard’s TH Chan School of Public Health.

    The study analyzed data from more than 100,000 health professionals in the United States with no history of cancer, cardiovascular disease or diabetes. From 1986 to 2018, the participants provided information on their health and lifestyle habits every two years.

    Every four years, they completed a detailed food questionnaire.

    The group eating the least ultraprocessed food ate about three servings a day on average, while the highest averaged seven servings a day, according to the study published Wednesday in The BMJ journal.

    Those who ate the most had a 4% higher risk of deaths by any cause, including a 9% increased risk of neurodegenerative deaths, the data showed.

    Song described the correlation as “moderate,” noting that the connection was not equally strong among all kinds of ultraprocessed foods.

    “The positive association is mainly driven by a few subgroups including processed meat and sugar sweetened or artificially sweetened beverages,” he said.

    Findings in this study were consistent with hundreds of others in the field, but what makes this one unique is its parsing out of different subgroups within the ultraprocessed food category, said Dr. Marion Nestle, the Paulette Goddard professor emerita of nutrition, food studies and public health at New York University.

    Do we need to get rid of all ultraprocessed foods?

    Song wouldn’t necessarily advise a complete rejection of all ultraprocessed foods because it is a diverse category, he said.

    “Cereals, whole grain breads, for example, they are also considered ultraprocessed food, but they contain various beneficial nutrients like fiber, vitamins and minerals,” he said. “On the other hand, I do think people should try to avoid or limit the consumption of certain ultraprocessed foods, such as processed meat, sugar-sweetened beverages and also potentially artificially sweetened beverages.”

    There are also more questions that need to be answered when it comes to ultraprocessed foods.

    First, the recent study is strong because of the length of time covered, but it is an observational study. That means that while researchers can observe a correlation, they can’t say that the foods were the cause of the deaths, said Dr. Peter Wilde, emeritus fellow at Quadram Institute Bioscience in the United Kingdom.

    Researchers also need to look more at the components of ultraprocessed foods that might be affecting health — whether they be food additives, emulsifiers or flavors — to advise governments and institutions on how to regulate foods, Song said.

    Overall diet matters most

    Researchers also found that the most important factor to reducing risk of death is the quality of a person’s overall diet, Song said.

    “If people maintain a generally healthy diet, I don’t think they need to be like scared or be freaked out,” he said. “The overall dietary pattern is still the predominant factor determining the health outcomes.”

    A healthy diet is varied, with as many colorful fruits and vegetables and whole grains as possible, Wilde said.

    “If you are worried about food additives, then choose foods that have low levels of additives,” he said in an email. “Just be mindful of the nutritional content of (the ultraprocessed foods) that you do choose to consume.”

    It is also important to recognize that foods need to be eaten in balance. Fruit juice contains beneficial vitamins, minerals and antioxidants when consumed in moderation, but too much will have high levels of sugar that may override their benefits, Wilde said.

    “This is not black and white,” he said. “A particular food is not either good or bad, it will contain elements of both, and the balance between the two may depend on how much you eat.”

    [ad_2]

    Source link