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Ultra-processed food increases risk of early death, international study finds (www.theguardian.com)
submitted 14 hours ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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Consuming large amounts of ultra-processed food (UPF) increases the risk of an early death, according to a international study that has reignited calls for a crackdown on UPF.

Each 10% extra intake of UPF, such as bread, cakes and ready meals, increases someone’s risk of dying before they reach 75 by 3%, according to research in countries including the US and England.

UPF is so damaging to health that it is implicated in as many as one in seven of all premature deaths that occur in some countries, according to a paper in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

They are associated with 124,107 early deaths in the US a year and 17,781 deaths every year in England, the review of dietary and mortality data from eight countries found.

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[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 hour ago (2 children)

The NOVA classifications are difficult to work with, and I think the trend of certain nutrition scientists (and the media that reports on those scientists' work) have completely over-weighted the value of the "ultra processed" category.

The typical whole grain, multigrain bread sold at the store qualifies as ultra-processed, in large part because whole grain flour is harder to shape into loaves than white flour, and manufacturers add things like gluten to the dough. Gluten, of course, already "naturally" exists in any wheat bread, so it's not exactly a harmful ingredient. But that additive tips the loaf of bread into ultra processed (or UPF or NOVA category 4), same as Doritos.

But whole grain bread isn't as bad for you as Doritos or Coca Cola. So why do these studies treat them as the same? And whole grain factory bread is almost certainly better for you than the local bakery's white bread (merely processed food or NOVA category 3), made from industrially produced white flour, with the germ and bran removed during milling. Or industrially produced potato chips, which are usually considered simply processed foods in category 3 when not flavored with anything other than salt, which certainly aren't more nutritious or healthier than that whole wheat bread or pasta.

If specific ingredients are a problem, we should study those ingredients. If specific combinations or characteristics are a problem, we should study those combinations. Don't throw out the baby (healthy ultra processed foods) with the bathwater (unhealthy ultra processed foods).

And I'm not even going to get into how the system is fundamentally unsuited for evaluating fermented, aged, or pickled foods, especially dairy.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 hour ago (1 children)

Some bread is treated with stuff one would ordinarily not want to eat.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 55 minutes ago (1 children)

So why not focus on the foods containing that stuff, rather than the superficial resemblance of all foods that kinda look like the foods that contain that stuff?

Let's say you have a problem with potassium bromate, a dough additive linked to cancer that remains legal in U.S. bread but is banned in places like Canada, the UK, the EU.

So let's have that conversation about bromate! Let's not lump all industrially produced breads into that category, even in countries where bromate has been banned.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 50 minutes ago

Another cancerous item is sodium benzoate. I use it to make photos. It reacts with UV light in gelatin to cause the gelatin to harden up. That same effect is what give you cancer. Its the free radicals generated during UV exposure.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 34 minutes ago

The long game suicide, baby.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 hour ago

We know

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 hour ago

"the sky is blue" according to new report!

[–] [email protected] 21 points 4 hours ago (4 children)

The fuck does "ultra processed food" mean? Isnt upf defined by it harming you? Its like saying weapons harm you when weapon is the name for something that is used to harm others.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 46 minutes ago

It should be more appropriately labeled Junk Food. Everyone's trying to make it sound official and it just ends up more vague.

If we were eating Seafood, Chicken, Beef, Vegatables, Salads and Whole Grains, we'd live longer.

In the end, we need to stay away from non-naturally occurring carbs and refrain from mixing naturally occurring carbs with tons of fat/salt to make them more palatable.

Muffins, Doughnuts, French Toast, Submarine Sandwiches, Pizza, Pasta, all have to be super portion controlled, we we just don't seem to have that kind of willpower.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 hour ago* (last edited 1 hour ago) (2 children)

A processed food would be like roasted nuts, a loaf of real bread, cheese, etc. an ultra processed food is anything that's been broken down into individual constituents like corn syrup, maltodextrin, sugar, white flour, etc then amalgamated back together again. But I certainly see what you mean.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 hour ago

The difference between doritos and bread is merely the cooking temperature and the flavoring content... One is supposed to be cheesy and salty the other sweet and greasy/moist.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 hour ago

"Real bread" meets that definition of ultra-processed. It's a bunch of individual constituents (flour, water, yeast, etc.) that are mixed together.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 2 hours ago* (last edited 2 hours ago) (1 children)

Not even. The NOVA system has been tested and doesn't function as a system of classification. Experts cannot consistently classify things into UPF/not UPF. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41430-022-01099-1

So it's more like "there's this food and it's bad for you but idk what it is :/ its kinda a vibe"

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 hour ago

The infuriating thing is that I believe that nutrition is more than just a linear addition of all the constituent ingredients (kinda the default view of nutrition science up through the 90's), but addressing the shortcomings of that overly simple model shouldn't mean making an even more simple model.

NOVA classification is the wrong answer to a legitimate problem.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 hours ago

Yeah, I dunno. I wish they would just say sugar or something.

[–] [email protected] 20 points 6 hours ago (3 children)

It's astonishing to me that scientists are using such unscientific terms like "ultra processed food". What is it about these foods that is unhealthy?

It's like saying "sports are dangerous" while including football and golf in your definition.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 5 hours ago (2 children)

Scientists only use terms like ultra processed food after defining them in their scientific papers. The problem here is that the media find it difficult to write a short article for the general audience if they have to define things scientifically.

What specifically is bad about UPF foods is still being researched. A few leading ideas are:

  • Very little fibre
  • Starches are all immediately accessible to digestion and so blood glucose spikes much more than for the non-UPF equivalent
  • UPF foods are soft and dry (so weigh less) making it very easy to eat a lot very fast, so you eat too many calories.
  • Relatively high in salt and sugar
  • Use of emulsifiers. These may change your gut microbiota and also make your gut more leaky causing inflammation
  • Use of preservatives and artificial colours
  • Frequently have a lot of oil

Low fibre, emulsifiers and preservatives, while lacking variety of phytochemicals found in fresh food is known to change your gut health. People on UPF diets tend to eat more and have higher blood glucose spikes leading to heart disease and diabetes.

Altogether this is a recipe for a shorter, less healthy life

[–] [email protected] 6 points 4 hours ago (1 children)

Those are shit definitions that come from pop-science not real science. They're so broad as to be functionally useless.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 hour ago (1 children)

The NOVA classification system is "real" science, but in my opinion the arbitrary and vague definitions make it so that it's not very good or very robust science.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 31 minutes ago

"Very little fiber", "Frequently have a lot of oil", and "Relatively high in salt and sugar" aren't a classification, they're vibes.

"Use of Emulsifiers" is worthless. Eggs, garlic, and butter are emulsifiers.

NOVA is not about finding stuff out, it's about creating a science-y sounding framework to replace the food pyramid.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 hours ago* (last edited 3 hours ago)

Use of emulsifiers.
Frequently have a lot of oil

Oh no, not my mayo!

...is aioli ok or do saponins count as emulsifier, here?

[–] [email protected] 10 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

I think there's a bit of a political drive to try to label chronic conditions as "lifestyle" diseases tbh, hence the loose definitions.

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 6 hours ago (4 children)

There is no single definition of ultra-processed foods, but in general they contain ingredients not used in home cooking.

Many are chemicals, colourings and sweeteners, used to improve the food's appearance, taste or texture.

Fizzy drinks, sweets and chicken nuggets are all examples. However, they can also include less obvious foods, including some breads, breakfast cereals and yoghurts.

A product containing more than five ingredients is likely to be ultra-processed, according to public health expert Prof Maira Bes-Rastrollo of the University of Navarra in Spain.

Ultra-processed foods are often high in salt, sugar and saturated fats. In the UK, look out for a "traffic light" label on the packaging.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/articles/what_is_ultra-processed_food

[–] [email protected] 8 points 4 hours ago* (last edited 4 hours ago)

Thank you for the details - as you point out this is a functionally useless definition.

It reeks of "You know what I mean - that bad stuff". And that's not a good scientific definition.

A product containing more than five ingredients is likely to be ultra-processed

Curry is "ultra-processed" - you heard it hear first.

Like I said - "Sports are dangerous" is a very bad way to try to categorize risky activity. Golf and football are very different as are Curry and Twizzlers.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 6 hours ago* (last edited 6 hours ago)

In this reply you you talked about "some breads", the OP Post only talks about bread - and that for sure had only ingredients in using at home.

Same for French fries: potato, salt, fat .

I'm with the poor downvoted fellow, I don't understand where the risk comes from when it's described this vague.

Are home made burgers better? Is it the freezing process and I should lower my meal prep? Is it additives?

[–] [email protected] 5 points 5 hours ago

A product containing more than five ingredients is likely to be ultra-processed

Ugh. No. That amounts to saying "anything that contains five spice is ultra-processed". Why do you hate Chinese cuisine.

The "not used in home cooking" rule of thumb is way better though you can certainly make absolutely filthy dishes at home. Home cooking also uses "chemicals, colouring and sweeteners", and also home cooks care about appearance, taste, and texture.

What I'd actually be interested in is comparing EU vs. US standards UPC. EU products use colourings such as red beet extract, beta-carotene, stabilisers, gelling agents etc. like guar gum or arrowroot, when they use fully synthetic stuff then it's generally something actually found in nature. Companies add ascorbic acid as antioxidant, grandma added a splash of lemon juice, same difference really.

A EU strawberry yoghurt which says "natural aroma" is shoddy, yes, you're getting fewer strawberries and more strawberry aroma produced by fungi, but I'm rather sceptical when it comes to claims that it's less healthy.

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[–] [email protected] 14 points 7 hours ago (1 children)

For example, US research published last year in the BMJ found that people who consume the most UPF have a 4% higher risk of death overall and a 9% greater risk of dying from something other than cancer or heart disease.

If you don't want to die of cancer and heart disease, UPF may be be a good choice.

The 4% greater risk of dying... Does that mean if I have a 10% chance of dying by age 70 it becomes a 14% chance or a 10.4% chance? I believe the latter. But that's a correlation for the people who eat the most UPF. Would have to see how that's controlled for socioeconomic class and access to healthcare.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 5 hours ago

It’ll be a delicious death. Mmhmm a cupcake death.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 6 hours ago (2 children)

Bread is UPF???

[–] [email protected] 16 points 6 hours ago (2 children)

A bread with only flour, water, salt would be a processed food only as flour is processed.

A bread with 23 items listed in it's ingredients, half of which sound like something you'd hear in chemistry class, is ultra-processed.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 5 hours ago (2 children)

This is the correct answer.

Another way to distinguish the good from the bad: Good bread goes stale in a few days, it also is harder to chew. UPF bread will sit in your breadbin for 7 days without noticeable changes and is fluffy and relatively light.

The reason for the fluffiness and the shelf life is all the chemical additives.

You can see why the corporations love UPF bread - and why (if you didn't know the health impact) you might want to buy UPF bread on your weekly shop.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 hours ago

you can keep bread goods soft for a week without ultra processing using the Tangzhong method! It's delicious and easy I recommend it to all my bread lovers!

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 hours ago

Even with this information, it's fine if it's a small part of your diet. My kids aren't going to die because they eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich every day.

Always having it available and the fact that they'll eat it mean it's the healthier choice.

You have to make tradeoffs. That's just how food works and how it has always worked.

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[–] [email protected] 3 points 5 hours ago (1 children)

As a vegetarian, I sometimes eat a lot of meat substitutes that are highly processed.

I figure it's a worthwhile trade.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 3 hours ago (1 children)

Meat substitutes are not necessarily UPFs.

"Processed" is a shitty descriptor without a clear definition. Cooking a food is processing it, but some food only become degestible (like some meat) when you cook it. Bread and all baked goods are processed. Are they all going to end us?

So you may not even be making a trade here. Not all substitudes are equal.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 hours ago

You're totally right. I suppose I am thinking of things like chicken't nuggets or Beyond Beef. Things that would be considered junk food anyways.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 hours ago* (last edited 5 hours ago)

I really like this creator and she has a number of videos on this topic if anyone is seeking more information

Kiana Docherty YouTube1

Kiana Docherty YouTube2 She has many videos on the topic.

[–] [email protected] 62 points 12 hours ago (3 children)

Each 10% extra intake of UPF, such as bread, cakes and ready meals, increases someone’s risk of dying before they reach 75 by 3%, according to research in countries including the US and England.

Was a bit surprised to see bread there, as it's been a staple of many cultures' cuisines for millennia. Did a quick search, and got some clarity in this list - "mass-produced packaged bread" is UPF, not the stuff you make from scratch or perhaps pick up from the local bakery.

A relief, actually, as I just took a loaf of sourdough out of the oven and was waiting for it to be cool enough to slice into. This article took the shine off the experience for a moment there 😅

[–] [email protected] 18 points 9 hours ago (2 children)

Yeah the typical American stuff is like 10% sugar, packed with additives like emulsifiers and preservatives, and anything that makes the production processes cheaper and faster, made from bleached flour and has most of the fibre stripped out.

If your bread is made from flour, water, salt and yeast its processed food not UPF.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 hours ago

I remember the first time I visited the States, and bought a loaf of bread and a jar of peanut butter from the grocery store on my first night to make toast the following morning. Boy, did the unexpected sugar hit at breakfast time wake me up! HFCS really is in everything over there. Not at all surprised that packaged bread is classed as UPF.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 8 hours ago (1 children)

The supermarket bread that looks and feels like a squeaky toy. Best to avoid that one.

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