Research suggests that plant-based ultraprocessed foods, including veggie burgers and meatless nuggets, can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease.
A group of researchers from Ireland, France, Australia and the United States conducted an overall systematic review of studies and revealed compelling findings on the harmful effects of ultra-processed foods. All review articles were published in the last three years and had almost 10 million participants. None were financed by companies dedicated to the production of ultra-processed foods.
There is strong evidence that increased exposure to ultra-processed foods is associated with an increased risk of developing at least 32 harmful human health effects, including cancer, major heart and lung conditions, mental disorders and premature death. Due to their ingredients and high level of processing, ultra-processed foods are addictive. They generate little satiety and that makes them consume more.
Ultra-processed foods, including packaged baked goods and snacks, soft drinks, sugary cereals, and ready-to-eat or heat products, undergo multiple industrial processes and often contain colorings, emulsifiers, flavorings, and other additives. They can represent up to 58% of total daily energy intake in some high-income countries, and have increased rapidly in many low- and middle-income nations in recent decades. Compelling evidence showed that higher intake of ultra-processed foods was associated with a 50% increase in the risk of cardiovascular disease-related death.
They also detected that the consumption of ultra-processed foods is involved in a 48-53% increase in the risk of anxiety and common mental disorders, and a 12% increase in the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Strong evidence also indicated that higher intakes of ultra-processed foods were associated with a 21% higher risk of death from any cause, a 40-66% higher risk of death related to cardiovascular disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and sleep, and a 22% higher risk of depression.
They made these recommendations to control and reduce the production and consumption of these products:-----
1) Front-of-package labeling, restriction of advertising and prohibition of sales in or near schools and hospitals should be established (these measures already apply in some countries).----
2) Fiscal and other measures should be taken to make unprocessed or minimally processed foods and freshly prepared meals more accessible.
PThey proposed that United Nations agencies, together with Member States, develop and implement a framework convention on ultra-processed foods similar to the one that has already existed since 2003 for tobacco control, and that they promote examples of good practices.-----
A group of researchers from Ireland, France, Australia and the United States conducted an overall systematic review of studies and revealed compelling findings on the harmful effects of ultra-processed foods. All review articles were published in the last three years and had almost 10 million participants. None were financed by companies dedicated to the production of ultra-processed foods.
There is strong evidence that increased exposure to ultra-processed foods is associated with an increased risk of developing at least 32 harmful human health effects, including cancer, major heart and lung conditions, mental disorders and premature death. Due to their ingredients and high level of processing, ultra-processed foods are addictive. They generate little satiety and that makes them consume more.
Ultra-processed foods, including packaged baked goods and snacks, soft drinks, sugary cereals, and ready-to-eat or heat products, undergo multiple industrial processes and often contain colorings, emulsifiers, flavorings, and other additives. They can represent up to 58% of total daily energy intake in some high-income countries, and have increased rapidly in many low- and middle-income nations in recent decades. Compelling evidence showed that higher intake of ultra-processed foods was associated with a 50% increase in the risk of cardiovascular disease-related death.
They also detected that the consumption of ultra-processed foods is involved in a 48-53% increase in the risk of anxiety and common mental disorders, and a 12% increase in the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Strong evidence also indicated that higher intakes of ultra-processed foods were associated with a 21% higher risk of death from any cause, a 40-66% higher risk of death related to cardiovascular disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and sleep, and a 22% higher risk of depression.
They made these recommendations to control and reduce the production and consumption of these products:-----
1) Front-of-package labeling, restriction of advertising and prohibition of sales in or near schools and hospitals should be established (these measures already apply in some countries).----
2) Fiscal and other measures should be taken to make unprocessed or minimally processed foods and freshly prepared meals more accessible.
PThey proposed that United Nations agencies, together with Member States, develop and implement a framework convention on ultra-processed foods similar to the one that has already existed since 2003 for tobacco control, and that they promote examples of good practices.-----
https://www.bmj.com/content/384/bmj-2023-077310 (2024).-