They are increasingly present, even in our tables, but the evidence of their harmful effects is now recognized by a large part of the scientific community. We are talking about ultra-processed foods for which, in the last world congress on obesity held in Sao Paulo, Carlos Monteiro, the scientist who first studied their effects on health (and coined the name) asked a warning label for consumers, as already happens for tobacco. The objective is to remember that what you are ingesting is harmful to your health and, if consumed excessively, can cause very serious damage.
What are ultra-processed foods and how much are they consumed?
By ultra-processed foods we mean all those foods that are the result of numerous industrial processes. They are often designed to be stored for a long time and consumed quickly and contain components that, if taken in large quantities, are not good for your health. Which? First of all, saturated fats, salt and sugars. But also under accusation is the widespread use of colourants, preservatives, additives, flavorings and the lack of fiber and nutrients. Examples of these foods are, for example, packaged snacks, many sweet carbonated drinks, wusters and processed meats, some veg burgers, flavored yogurts, bagged chips, sweets and much more.
The effects were described for the first time by the Brazilian nutritionist Carlos Monteiro who, since the mid-1990s, had observed a paradox. Even though sugar consumption in the South American country had dropped significantly, cases of type 2 diabetes and obesity had increased significantly. The cause? For Monteiro it was to be found in the large presence of pre-packaged foods that abounded in Brazilians’ refrigerators. The latter had two advantages: they were cheap and extremely easy to prepare.
Monteiro was the first to coin the definition of ultra-processed foods and propose a classification of foods based on these parameters. And today’s numbers are alarming. In the UK and USA around 80% of the diets of the youngest and poorest people are made up of this type of food. It is no coincidence that, in 2014, first lady Michelle Obama also took action to raise awareness among Americans about so-called “junk food”.
But the dynamic does not only concern Nordic and Anglo-Saxon countries, as the parable of Brazil demonstrates. Here too these elements are increasingly consumed and the cost, also in terms of public health, could be heavy.
What are the health effects of these foods
The latest, just in chronological order, is a study published just a few months ago by the British Medical Journal. According to researchers, these foods can have up to 32 adverse health effects. Their habitual consumption, in particular, would significantly increase the risk of death from cardiac causes, of developing diabetes mellitus, cancer and even of suffering from mental problems such as anxiety and depression.
According to another 2022 study, also published in the prestigious English journal, these foods would increase the risk of developing colon cancer by 30%.
From this evidence Professor Monteiro’s idea, which however does not find unanimous consensus: “Both tobacco and ultra-processed foods cause fatal diseases and premature deaths and both are produced by large multinationals who invest enormous profits with their products and their aggressive marketing campaigns through lobbying campaigns aimed at redefining the rules – underlined Monteiro al Guardian, adding – these products should be taxed and warnings should be placed on their packaging, like those already in use for tobacco”.
However, not everyone agrees with this warning. The problem is in fact the definition of ultra-processed food which is not unique and the effects which, although harmful, are not the same and unique for all types of food, as is the case with cigarettes. And some researchers underline that, although there is no lack of scientific evidence, there is still a need for further clinical studies.
Without a doubt, however, the idea, launched by the scholar who was the first to identify the perimeter of the problem, poses an emergency for everyone that can no longer be postponed. That of ensuring, starting from schools, correct nutritional education for everyone.