17/07/2024
UPF is a problem we all need to face.
UPFs are manufactured from industrial substances and contain additives such as preservatives, sweeteners, colourings, flavourings, and emulsifiers.
UPFs vary, but tend to have higher levels of added sugars, saturated fat and sodium, as well as less fibre, protein, and nutrients.
They have been suggested as one of the key drivers of the global rise in diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cancer, the University of Cambridge said.
Researchers at the University of Cambridge and University of Bristol looked at data from food diaries filled in by almost 3,000 young people.
They found consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) was highest among those from deprived backgrounds, those of white ethnicity, and younger adolescents.
They found that an average of 66% of adolescents' energy intake came from UPF consumption
Dr Esther van Sluijs, also from the MRC unit, said: "Ultra-processed foods offer convenient and often cheaper solutions to time- and income-poor families, but unfortunately many of these foods also offer poor nutritional value. This could be contributing to the inequalities in health we see emerging across childhood and adolescence."
If you don't change your food for yourself, please I urge you to change it for your children and grandchildren.
Cambridge and Bristol researchers study food diaries and say consumption is "higher than ideal".
