Latest news with #AnneWilliams
Canada News.Net
3 days ago
- Health
- Canada News.Net
Ultra-processed foods dominate US diets, CDC warns
ATLANTA, Georgia: More than half of the calories Americans consume now come from ultra-processed foods — items high in sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats — according to a newly released report by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). While past studies have long highlighted America's reliance on these foods, this is the first time federal dietary data has officially confirmed the extent of their dominance. Using data collected from August 2021 to August 2023, the CDC found that about 55 percent of the total calories consumed by people aged one and older came from ultra-processed foods. The proportion was even higher among children and teens, with nearly 62 percent of their daily caloric intake coming from such items. Among adults, that number stood at about 53 percent. Common sources of these highly processed foods include burgers and sandwiches, sweet baked goods, salty snacks, pizza, and sugar-sweetened beverages. Younger children tended to consume slightly fewer calories from these sources than older kids, and adults over 60 ate fewer ultra-processed foods than younger adults. The report also found a disparity based on income, with low-income adults consuming more ultra-processed foods than wealthier individuals. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has voiced growing concern over the health risks associated with these foods, blaming them for contributing to America's rising chronic disease burden. "We are poisoning ourselves," he said in a recent interview, "and it's coming principally from these ultra-processed foods." Still, there may be a small silver lining. According to the CDC's co-author Anne Williams, consumption of ultra-processed foods appears to have declined slightly over the past decade. For example, adult intake fell from 56 percent in 2013–2014, while kids' intake dropped from nearly 66 percent in 2017–18. While it's unclear what's driving the change, some experts believe increased awareness is playing a role. "People are trying, at least in some groups, to cut back on these foods," said Andrea Deierlein, a nutrition expert at NYU. Ultra-processed foods have been linked in numerous studies to health issues like obesity, diabetes, and heart disease, but researchers have struggled to definitively prove a causal relationship. However, a recent study in Nature found that people lost twice as much weight on diets rich in minimally processed foods like pasta, fruits, vegetables, and fresh chicken — even when calorie counts and nutrients were the same as diets made up of "healthy" ultra-processed items like frozen meals and protein bars. The CDC used the Nova classification system, which defines ultra-processed foods as "hyperpalatable, energy-dense, low in fiber and whole foods, and high in salt, sugars, and unhealthy fats." U.S. health agencies are now working on developing a more precise national definition. In the meantime, experts recommend reading labels carefully and opting for simple, whole ingredients — like plain oats instead of flavored instant oatmeal — to reduce reliance on ultra-processed foods.
The Independent
5 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
Americans get more than half their calories from these ultra-processed foods
More than half the calories consumed by most Americans originate from ultra-processed foods, according to a new federal report. While nutrition research has shown for years that ultraprocessed foods make up a big chunk of the U.S. diet, particularly for children and teenagers, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has, for the first time, confirmed these high consumption levels. Their findings are based on dietary data collected from August 2021 to August 2023. The report comes amid growing scrutiny by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who blames them for causing chronic disease. 'We are poisoning ourselves and it's coming principally from these ultraprocessed foods,' Kennedy told Fox News earlier this year. Overall, about 55 percent of total calories consumed by Americans aged one and older came from ultraprocessed foods during that period, according to the report. For adults, ultraprocessed foods made up about 53 percent of total calories consumed, but for kids through age 18, it was nearly 62 percent. The top sources included burgers and sandwiches, sweet baked goods, savory snacks, pizza and sweetened drinks. Young children consumed fewer calories from ultra-processed foods than older kids, the report found. Adults 60 and older consumed fewer calories from those sources than younger adults. Low-income adults consumed more ultra-processed foods than those with higher incomes. The results were not surprising, said co-author Anne Williams, a CDC nutrition expert. What was surprising was that consumption of ultra-processed foods appeared to dip slightly over the past decade. Among adults, total calories from those sources fell from about 56 percent in 2013-2014 and from nearly 66 percent for kids in 2017-2018. Williams said she couldn't speculate about the reason for the decline or whether consumption of less processed foods increased. But Andrea Deierlein, a nutrition expert at New York University who was not involved in the research, suggested that there may be greater awareness of the potential harms of ultra-processed foods. 'People are trying, at least in some populations, to decrease their intakes of these foods,' she said. Concern over ultraprocessed foods' health effects has been growing for years, but finding solutions has been difficult. Many studies have linked them to obesity, diabetes and heart disease, but they haven't been able to prove that the foods directly cause those chronic health problems. One small but influential study found that even when diets were matched for calories, sugar, fat, fiber and micronutrients, people consumed more calories and gained more weight when they ate ultra-processed foods than when they ate minimally processed foods. Research published this week in the journal Nature found that participants in a clinical trial lost twice as much weight when they ate minimally processed foods — such as pasta, chicken, fruits and vegetables — than ultra-processed foods, even those matched for nutrition components and considered healthy, such as ready-to-heat frozen meals, protein bars and shakes. Part of the problem is simply defining ultra-processed foods. The new CDC report used the most common definition based on the four-tier Nova system developed by Brazilian researchers that classifies foods according to the amount of processing they undergo. Such foods tend to be 'hyperpalatable, energy-dense, low in dietary fiber and contain little or no whole foods, while having high amounts of salt, sweeteners and unhealthy fats,' the CDC report said. U.S. health officials recently said there are concerns over whether current definitions 'accurately capture' the range of foods that may affect health. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Agriculture Department recently issued a request for information to develop a new, uniform definition of ultra-processed foods for products in the U.S. food supply. In the meantime, Americans should try to reduce ultra-processed foods in their daily diets, Deierlein said. For instance, instead of instant oatmeal that may contain added sugar, sodium, artificial colors and preservatives, use plain oats sweetened with honey or maple syrup. Read food packages and nutrition information, she suggested. 'I do think that there are less-processed options available for many foods,' she said.
The Advertiser
5 days ago
- Health
- The Advertiser
Over half of US calories are from ultra-processed foods
Most Americans get more than half their calories from ultra-processed foods, those super-tasty, energy-dense foods typically full of sugar, salt and unhealthy fats, according to a new report. Nutrition research has shown for years that ultra-processed foods make up a big chunk of the US diet, especially for kids and teens. For the first time, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed those high levels of consumption, using dietary data collected from August 2021 to August 2023. Overall, about 55 per cent of total calories consumed by Americans age one and older came from ultra-processed foods during that period, according to the report. For adults, ultra-processed foods made up about 53 per cent of total calories consumed, but for kids through age 18, it was nearly 62 per cent. The top sources included burgers and sandwiches, sweet baked goods, savory snacks, pizza and sweetened drinks. Young children consumed fewer calories from ultra-processed foods than older kids, the report found. Adults 60 and older consumed fewer calories from those sources than younger adults. Low-income adults consumed more ultra-processed foods than those with higher incomes. The results were not surprising, said co-author Anne Williams, a CDC nutrition expert. What was surprising was that consumption of ultra-processed foods appeared to dip slightly over the past decade. Among adults, total calories from those sources fell from about 56 per cent in 2013-2014 and from nearly 66 per cent for kids in 2017-2018. Williams said she couldn't speculate about the reason for the decline or whether consumption of less processed foods increased. Concern over ultra-processed foods' health effects has been growing for years, but finding solutions has been difficult. Many studies have linked them to obesity, diabetes and heart disease, but they haven't been able to prove that the foods directly cause those chronic health problems. One small but influential study found that even when diets were matched for calories, sugar, fat, fibre and micronutrients, people consumed more calories and gained more weight when they ate ultra-processed foods than when they ate minimally processed foods. Research published this week in the journal Nature found that participants in a clinical trial lost twice as much weight when they ate minimally processed foods - such as pasta, chicken, fruits and vegetables - than ultra-processed foods. Part of the problem is simply defining ultra-processed foods. The new CDC report used the most common definition based on the four-tier Nova system developed by Brazilian researchers that classifies foods according to the amount of processing they undergo. Such foods tend to be "hyperpalatable, energy-dense, low in dietary fibre and contain little or no whole foods, while having high amounts of salt, sweeteners and unhealthy fats," the CDC report said. US health officials recently said there are concerns over whether current definitions "accurately capture" the range of foods that may affect health. The US Food and Drug Administration and the Agriculture Department recently issued a request for information to develop a new, uniform definition of ultra-processed foods for products in the US food supply. Most Americans get more than half their calories from ultra-processed foods, those super-tasty, energy-dense foods typically full of sugar, salt and unhealthy fats, according to a new report. Nutrition research has shown for years that ultra-processed foods make up a big chunk of the US diet, especially for kids and teens. For the first time, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed those high levels of consumption, using dietary data collected from August 2021 to August 2023. Overall, about 55 per cent of total calories consumed by Americans age one and older came from ultra-processed foods during that period, according to the report. For adults, ultra-processed foods made up about 53 per cent of total calories consumed, but for kids through age 18, it was nearly 62 per cent. The top sources included burgers and sandwiches, sweet baked goods, savory snacks, pizza and sweetened drinks. Young children consumed fewer calories from ultra-processed foods than older kids, the report found. Adults 60 and older consumed fewer calories from those sources than younger adults. Low-income adults consumed more ultra-processed foods than those with higher incomes. The results were not surprising, said co-author Anne Williams, a CDC nutrition expert. What was surprising was that consumption of ultra-processed foods appeared to dip slightly over the past decade. Among adults, total calories from those sources fell from about 56 per cent in 2013-2014 and from nearly 66 per cent for kids in 2017-2018. Williams said she couldn't speculate about the reason for the decline or whether consumption of less processed foods increased. Concern over ultra-processed foods' health effects has been growing for years, but finding solutions has been difficult. Many studies have linked them to obesity, diabetes and heart disease, but they haven't been able to prove that the foods directly cause those chronic health problems. One small but influential study found that even when diets were matched for calories, sugar, fat, fibre and micronutrients, people consumed more calories and gained more weight when they ate ultra-processed foods than when they ate minimally processed foods. Research published this week in the journal Nature found that participants in a clinical trial lost twice as much weight when they ate minimally processed foods - such as pasta, chicken, fruits and vegetables - than ultra-processed foods. Part of the problem is simply defining ultra-processed foods. The new CDC report used the most common definition based on the four-tier Nova system developed by Brazilian researchers that classifies foods according to the amount of processing they undergo. Such foods tend to be "hyperpalatable, energy-dense, low in dietary fibre and contain little or no whole foods, while having high amounts of salt, sweeteners and unhealthy fats," the CDC report said. US health officials recently said there are concerns over whether current definitions "accurately capture" the range of foods that may affect health. The US Food and Drug Administration and the Agriculture Department recently issued a request for information to develop a new, uniform definition of ultra-processed foods for products in the US food supply. Most Americans get more than half their calories from ultra-processed foods, those super-tasty, energy-dense foods typically full of sugar, salt and unhealthy fats, according to a new report. Nutrition research has shown for years that ultra-processed foods make up a big chunk of the US diet, especially for kids and teens. For the first time, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed those high levels of consumption, using dietary data collected from August 2021 to August 2023. Overall, about 55 per cent of total calories consumed by Americans age one and older came from ultra-processed foods during that period, according to the report. For adults, ultra-processed foods made up about 53 per cent of total calories consumed, but for kids through age 18, it was nearly 62 per cent. The top sources included burgers and sandwiches, sweet baked goods, savory snacks, pizza and sweetened drinks. Young children consumed fewer calories from ultra-processed foods than older kids, the report found. Adults 60 and older consumed fewer calories from those sources than younger adults. Low-income adults consumed more ultra-processed foods than those with higher incomes. The results were not surprising, said co-author Anne Williams, a CDC nutrition expert. What was surprising was that consumption of ultra-processed foods appeared to dip slightly over the past decade. Among adults, total calories from those sources fell from about 56 per cent in 2013-2014 and from nearly 66 per cent for kids in 2017-2018. Williams said she couldn't speculate about the reason for the decline or whether consumption of less processed foods increased. Concern over ultra-processed foods' health effects has been growing for years, but finding solutions has been difficult. Many studies have linked them to obesity, diabetes and heart disease, but they haven't been able to prove that the foods directly cause those chronic health problems. One small but influential study found that even when diets were matched for calories, sugar, fat, fibre and micronutrients, people consumed more calories and gained more weight when they ate ultra-processed foods than when they ate minimally processed foods. Research published this week in the journal Nature found that participants in a clinical trial lost twice as much weight when they ate minimally processed foods - such as pasta, chicken, fruits and vegetables - than ultra-processed foods. Part of the problem is simply defining ultra-processed foods. The new CDC report used the most common definition based on the four-tier Nova system developed by Brazilian researchers that classifies foods according to the amount of processing they undergo. Such foods tend to be "hyperpalatable, energy-dense, low in dietary fibre and contain little or no whole foods, while having high amounts of salt, sweeteners and unhealthy fats," the CDC report said. US health officials recently said there are concerns over whether current definitions "accurately capture" the range of foods that may affect health. The US Food and Drug Administration and the Agriculture Department recently issued a request for information to develop a new, uniform definition of ultra-processed foods for products in the US food supply. Most Americans get more than half their calories from ultra-processed foods, those super-tasty, energy-dense foods typically full of sugar, salt and unhealthy fats, according to a new report. Nutrition research has shown for years that ultra-processed foods make up a big chunk of the US diet, especially for kids and teens. For the first time, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed those high levels of consumption, using dietary data collected from August 2021 to August 2023. Overall, about 55 per cent of total calories consumed by Americans age one and older came from ultra-processed foods during that period, according to the report. For adults, ultra-processed foods made up about 53 per cent of total calories consumed, but for kids through age 18, it was nearly 62 per cent. The top sources included burgers and sandwiches, sweet baked goods, savory snacks, pizza and sweetened drinks. Young children consumed fewer calories from ultra-processed foods than older kids, the report found. Adults 60 and older consumed fewer calories from those sources than younger adults. Low-income adults consumed more ultra-processed foods than those with higher incomes. The results were not surprising, said co-author Anne Williams, a CDC nutrition expert. What was surprising was that consumption of ultra-processed foods appeared to dip slightly over the past decade. Among adults, total calories from those sources fell from about 56 per cent in 2013-2014 and from nearly 66 per cent for kids in 2017-2018. Williams said she couldn't speculate about the reason for the decline or whether consumption of less processed foods increased. Concern over ultra-processed foods' health effects has been growing for years, but finding solutions has been difficult. Many studies have linked them to obesity, diabetes and heart disease, but they haven't been able to prove that the foods directly cause those chronic health problems. One small but influential study found that even when diets were matched for calories, sugar, fat, fibre and micronutrients, people consumed more calories and gained more weight when they ate ultra-processed foods than when they ate minimally processed foods. Research published this week in the journal Nature found that participants in a clinical trial lost twice as much weight when they ate minimally processed foods - such as pasta, chicken, fruits and vegetables - than ultra-processed foods. Part of the problem is simply defining ultra-processed foods. The new CDC report used the most common definition based on the four-tier Nova system developed by Brazilian researchers that classifies foods according to the amount of processing they undergo. Such foods tend to be "hyperpalatable, energy-dense, low in dietary fibre and contain little or no whole foods, while having high amounts of salt, sweeteners and unhealthy fats," the CDC report said. US health officials recently said there are concerns over whether current definitions "accurately capture" the range of foods that may affect health. The US Food and Drug Administration and the Agriculture Department recently issued a request for information to develop a new, uniform definition of ultra-processed foods for products in the US food supply.
Economic Times
5 days ago
- Health
- Economic Times
'Americans are poisoning themselves': CDC reveals how over 50% of daily calories come from ultra-processed junk
Synopsis A recent CDC report reveals that over half of Americans' daily calories come from ultra-processed foods, high in sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats. While consumption has slightly decreased in the last decade, experts emphasize the link between these foods and health issues like obesity and diabetes. Efforts are underway to define ultra-processed foods more clearly and encourage healthier alternatives. AP Americans get more than half their calories from ultraprocessed foods, CDC report says Most Americans get more than half of their daily calories from ultra-processed foods, the kind that are very tasty but often full of sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats, according to a new federal is the first time the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has officially confirmed how high these levels are, based on diet data collected from August 2021 to August foods include burgers, sweet baked goods, salty snacks, pizza, and sugary drinks, all of which are popular across the United to the CDC report, about 55% of calories eaten by Americans aged 1 and older came from ultra-processed foods. For adults, it was about 53%, while for children and teenagers, it reached almost 62%.Young children ate slightly fewer ultra-processed foods compared to teenagers. Among adults, those aged 60 and older consumed less than younger adults. Low-income adults were found to eat more of these foods than those with higher incomes. 'This isn't surprising,' said Anne Williams, a CDC nutrition expert and co-author of the she added that it was surprising to see a small drop in ultra-processed food consumption over the last decade. For example, adult intake fell from 56% in 2013–2014, and for children, it dropped from 66% in 2017– said she couldn't say for sure what caused the Andrea Deierlein, a nutrition expert at New York University who was quoted by AP, said, 'There may be more awareness of how harmful these foods can be. People are trying, at least in some populations, to eat less of them.'U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has also raised alarms. 'We are poisoning ourselves, and it's coming principally from these ultra-processed foods,' he told Fox News, as reported by CDC used the Nova classification system, which is widely used around the world. This system groups foods into four levels based on how much they are foods usually: Contain little or no whole foods Are high in salt, sugar, and bad fats Are low in fibre Are 'hyper-palatable' (very tasty and easy to overeat) Officials in the U.S. have said there is still confusion about how to define these foods. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Agriculture Department have asked for public input to help create a clearer definition for the U.S. food foods have long been linked to obesity, diabetes, and heart disease, though many studies could not prove that these foods directly cause these conditions.A small but important study showed that even when people ate the same number of calories, they gained more weight when eating ultra-processed foods compared to less processed new study in the journal Nature found that people lost twice as much weight eating minimally processed foods like chicken, pasta, fruit, and vegetables, compared to eating processed ready meals or protein bars, even if the meals had similar said people should try to eat less ultra-processed food where example, instead of instant oatmeal that contains added sugar and preservatives, people could use plain oats and sweeten them with natural honey or maple syrup.'I do think that there are less-processed options available for many foods,' she said, as quoted by AP. Inputs from AP
