Context
A 30-year U.S. observational study, The Health Professionals Follow-up Study (1986-2018) finds consumption of ultra-processed food leads to higher risk of early death.
High Consumption of Ultra-Processed Food
Higher consumption of most ultra-processed foods like (ready-to-eat meat, poultry, and seafood based products, sugary drinks, dairy based desserts, and highly processed breakfast food) is linked to a slightly higher risk of early death.
- The results were published in the journal The BMJ.
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Key Findings of the Study On Ultra-Processed Food
- Sample size: Long-term health of 74,563 female registered nurses from 11 States in the Nurses’ Health Study (1984-2018) and 39,501 male health professionals from all 50 U.S. states were tracked with no history of cancer, cardiovascular diseases, or diabetes.
- Assessment process: Participants provided information on their health and lifestyle habits every 2 years, and completed a detailed food questionnaire every four years. The Overall dietary quality was also assessed using the Alternative Healthy Eating Index-2010 (AHEI) score.
- Findings:
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- Deaths: A total of 48,193 deaths, which includes 13,557 deaths due to cancer, 11,416 deaths due to cardiovascular diseases, 3,926 deaths due to respiratory diseases, and 6,343 deaths due to neurodegenerative diseases.
- The participants in the highest quarter (average seven servings of ultra processed foods per day) had a 4% higher risk of total deaths and a 9% higher risk of other deaths, including an 8% higher risk of neurodegenerative deaths.
- In absolute numbers: The rate of death from any cause among participants in the lowest and highest quarter of ultra-processed food intake was 1,472 and 1,536 per 100,000 person years, respectively.
- No associations were found for deaths due to cardiovascular diseases, cancer, or respiratory diseases.
- Food group specific: Meat, poultry, and seafood based ready-to-eat products shows the strongest and most consistent association to early mortality.
- It is followed by sugar sweetened and artificially sweetened beverages, dairy based desserts, and ultra-processed breakfast food.
- Overall Dietary quality: The association was less pronounced after overall dietary quality was taken into account, suggesting that dietary quality has a stronger influence on long term health than ultra-processed food consumption.
Ultra-Processed Foods
Ultra-processed foods typically include many additives and ingredients that are not typically used in home cooking, such as preservatives, emulsifiers, sweeteners, and artificial colours and flavours. These foods generally have a long shelf life
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Hazards of consuming ultra-processed foods:
- Nutrient-deficient & calorie dense: Lacking essential nutrients but high in calories, they contribute to malnutrition, weight gain, and chronic diseases.
- Unhealthy additives: Loaded with added sugars, unhealthy fats, and sodium, they increase risks of heart disease, diabetes, and digestive issues.
- Addiction & environmental impact: Engineered for overconsumption and with a high environmental footprint, they worsen health disparities and contribute to pollution.
- Convenience over health: Prioritising ease over nutrition, they lead to sacrificing health for short-term convenience.
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Status in India:
- A World Health Organisation report, co-authored by the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations, revealed massive growth in India’s processed food sector.
- The Ultra processed Food sector’s compound annual growth rate (CAGR) between 2011 and 2021 reached to 13.37%, amongst the fastest-growing globally.
- Silver Lining: Market share for ultra-processed foods is decreasing since the Pandemic which can be attributed to increased public health awareness during the pandemic and a growing government focus on promoting healthy diets.
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