Latest news with #CarlosAugustoMonteiro
News.com.au
29-04-2025
- Health
- News.com.au
Common food could cause more deaths than dangerous drug: study
Ultraprocessed foods could be killing more Americans than fentanyl, a new study has found. The unhealthy food group, popularised for its convenience, often contains high levels of sugar, salt and unhealthy fats — and are believed to make up over 70 per cent of the US food supply. Australians also consume a large amount of ultra-processed foods, also known as UPFs, with research suggesting they make up around 40 to 42 per cent of their daily energy intake. Alarmingly, consumption of ultraprocessed foods has also been tied to a growing list of health conditions, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and some cancers. Now, researchers have examined data from the US and seven other countries to estimate the percentage of premature, preventable deaths due to the consumption of UPFs like packaged snacks, sugary drinks, processed meats and sweetened breakfast cereals, the New York Post reports. 'We looked at the risk of a person dying from eating more ultra-processed foods between the ages of 30 and 69, a time when it would be premature to die,' study co-author Carlos Augusto Monteiro, emeritus professor of nutrition and public health in the School of Public Health at Brazil's University of São Paulo, told CNN. Monteiro's team found that the risk of early death rises by nearly 3 per cent for every 10 per cent increase in calories from UPFs. The findings were published Monday in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine in an article titled, 'Premature Mortality Attributable to Ultraprocessed Food Consumption in 8 Countries'. Prior research has linked UPFs to 32 negative health outcomes, including elevated risks of heart disease, cancer, Type 2 diabetes and mental health woes. Some 124,000 premature US deaths were attributable to UPF consumption in 2018, said Eduardo Augusto Fernandes Nilson, lead investigator of the new study. To compare, nearly 74,000 Americans died from a fentanyl overdose in 2022. Fernandes Nilson and his colleagues built a computer model that estimated percentages of UPF-related early deaths based on data from nearly 240,000 people and almost 15,000 deaths. The results ranged from 4 per cent in countries with lower UPF consumption (Colombia) to almost 14 per cent in countries with higher UPF consumption (the UK and US). The other countries studied were Brazil (low consumption), Chile and Mexico (intermediate) and Australia and Canada (high). 'The findings support that ultra-processed food intake contributes significantly to the overall burden of disease in many countries, and its reduction should be included in national dietary guideline recommendations and addressed in public policies,' the researchers wrote in their paper. However, the study could not determine if the deaths were 'caused by UPF consumption,' nutrition scientist Nerys Astbury — an associate professor of diet and obesity at the UK's University of Oxford who was not involved in the study — pointed out to CNN. The research also drew criticism from Sarah Gallo — senior vice president of product policy for the Consumer Brands Association, which represents the food industry. 'This is another example of a misleading study that will ultimately lead to consumer confusion. Currently, there is no scientific agreement on the definition of ultra-processed foods,' Gallo told the New York Post. 'Demonising convenient, affordable and shelf-ready food and beverage products could limit access to and cause avoidance of nutrient-dense foods, resulting in decreased diet quality, increased risk of food-borne illness and exacerbated health disparities.'
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Common food may be responsible for more deaths a year than fentanyl: study
Wurst news ever, hot dog lovers. Ultra-processed foods — which often contain high levels of sugar, salt and unhealthy fats — are believed to make up over 70% of the US food supply. A new analysis examined data from the US and seven other countries to estimate the percentage of premature, preventable deaths due to the consumption of UPFs like packaged snacks, sugary drinks, processed meats and sweetened breakfast cereals. 'We looked at the risk of a person dying from eating more ultra-processed foods between the ages of 30 and 69, a time when it would be premature to die,' study co-author Carlos Augusto Monteiro, emeritus professor of nutrition and public health in the School of Public Health at Brazil's University of São Paulo, told CNN. Monteiro's team found that the risk of early death rises by nearly 3% for every 10% increase in calories from UPFs. The findings were published Monday in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Prior research has linked UPFs to 32 negative health outcomes, including elevated risks of heart disease, cancer, Type 2 diabetes and mental health woes. Some 124,000 premature US deaths were attributable to UPF consumption in 2018, said Eduardo Augusto Fernandes Nilson, lead investigator of the new study. To compare, nearly 74,000 Americans died from a fentanyloverdose in 2022. Fernandes Nilson and his colleagues built a computer model that estimated percentages of UPF-related early deaths based on data from nearly 240,000 people and almost 15,000 deaths. The results ranged from 4% in countries with lower UPF consumption (Colombia) to almost 14% in countries with higher UPFconsumption (the UK and US). The other countries studied were Brazil (low consumption), Chile and Mexico (intermediate) and Australia and Canada (high). 'The findings support that ultra-processed food intake contributes significantly to the overall burden of disease in many countries, and its reduction should be included in national dietary guideline recommendations and addressed in public policies,' the researchers wrote in their paper. However, the study could not determine if the deaths were 'caused by UPF consumption,' nutrition scientist Nerys Astbury — an associate professor of diet and obesity at the UK's University of Oxford who was not involved in the study — pointed out to CNN. The research also drew criticism from Sarah Gallo — senior vice president of product policy for the Consumer Brands Association, which represents the food industry. 'This is another example of a misleading study that will ultimately lead to consumer confusion. Currently, there is no scientific agreement on the definition of ultra-processed foods,' Gallo told The Post. 'Demonizing convenient, affordable and shelf-ready food and beverage products could limit access to and cause avoidance of nutrient-dense foods, resulting in decreased diet quality, increased risk of food-borne illness and exacerbated health disparities.'
New York Post
28-04-2025
- Health
- New York Post
New study shows devastating impact of ultra-processed foods — and the packaged food industry isn't happy about it
Wurst news ever, hot dog lovers. Ultra-processed foods — which often contain high levels of sugar, salt and unhealthy fats — are believed to make up over 70% of the US food supply. A new analysis examined data from the US and seven other countries to estimate the percentage of premature, preventable deaths due to the consumption of UPFs like packaged snacks, sugary drinks, processed meats and sweetened breakfast cereals. Ultra-processed foods — which include packaged snacks, sugary drinks, processed meats and sweetened breakfast cereals — are estimated to make up over 70% of the US food supply. Bloomberg via Getty Images 'We looked at the risk of a person dying from eating more ultra-processed foods between the ages of 30 and 69, a time when it would be premature to die,' study co-author Carlos Augusto Monteiro, emeritus professor of nutrition and public health in the School of Public Health at Brazil's University of São Paulo, told CNN. Monteiro's team found that the risk of early death rises by nearly 3% for every 10% increase in calories from UPFs. The findings were published Monday in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Prior research has linked UPFs to 32 negative health outcomes, including elevated risks of heart disease, cancer, Type 2 diabetes and mental health woes. Some 124,000 premature US deaths were attributable to UPF consumption in 2018, said Eduardo Augusto Fernandes Nilson, lead investigator of the new study. Fernandes Nilson and his colleagues built a computer model that estimated percentages of UPF-related early deaths based on data from nearly 240,000 people and almost 15,000 deaths. UPFs, like the snacks shown here, often contain high levels of sugar, salt and unhealthy fats. Getty Images/iStockphoto The results ranged from 4% in countries with lower UPF consumption (Colombia) to almost 14% in countries with higher UPF consumption (the UK and US). The other countries studied were Brazil (low consumption), Chile and Mexico (intermediate) and Australia and Canada (high). 'The findings support that ultra-processed food intake contributes significantly to the overall burden of disease in many countries, and its reduction should be included in national dietary guideline recommendations and addressed in public policies,' the researchers wrote in their paper. However, the study could not determine if the deaths were 'caused by UPF consumption,' nutrition scientist Nerys Astbury — an associate professor of diet and obesity at the UK's University of Oxford who was not involved in the study — pointed out to CNN. The research also drew criticism from Sarah Gallo — senior vice president of product policy for the Consumer Brands Association, which represents the food industry. 'This is another example of a misleading study that will ultimately lead to consumer confusion. Currently, there is no scientific agreement on the definition of ultra-processed foods,' Gallo said. 'Demonizing convenient, affordable and shelf-ready food and beverage products could limit access to and cause avoidance of nutrient-dense foods, resulting in decreased diet quality, increased risk of food-borne illness and exacerbated health disparities.'
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Every bite of ultraprocessed food will increase your chance of an early death, major new study says
Sign up for CNN's Eat, But Better: Mediterranean Style. Our eight-part guide shows you a delicious expert-backed eating lifestyle that will boost your health for life. As you add more ultraprocessed foods to your diet, your risk of a premature death from any cause rises, according to a new meta-analysis of research involving more than 240,000 people. 'We looked at the risk of a person dying from eating more ultraprocessed foods between the ages of 30 and 69, a time when it would be premature to die,' said study coauthor Carlos Augusto Monteiro, emeritus professor of nutrition and public health in the School of Public Health at Brazil's University of São Paulo. 'We found that for each 10% increase in total calories from ultraprocessed foods, the risk of dying prematurely rose by nearly 3%,' said Monteiro, who coined the term 'ultraprocessed' in 2009 when he developed NOVA, a system of classifying foods into four groups by their level of processing. Group one of the NOVA system is unprocessed or minimally processed foods in their natural state, such as fruits, vegetables, meat, milk and eggs. Group two includes culinary ingredients such as salt, herbs and oils. Group three consists of processed foods that combine groups one and two — canned goods and frozen vegetables are examples. Group four includes ultraprocessed foods. By Monteiro's definition, ultraprocessed foods contain little to no whole food. Instead, they are manufactured from 'chemically manipulated cheap ingredients' and often use 'synthetic additives to make them edible, palatable and habit-forming.' 'No reason exists to believe that humans can fully adapt to these products,' Monteiro cowrote in a 2024 editorial in the journal The BMJ. 'The body may react to them as useless or harmful, so its systems may become impaired or damaged, depending on their vulnerability and the amount of ultra-processed food consumed.' But the new study is misleading and will lead to consumer confusion, said Sarah Gallo, senior vice president of product policy for the Consumer Brands Association, which represents the food industry. 'Demonizing convenient, affordable and shelf ready food and beverage products could limit access to and cause avoidance of nutrient dense foods,' Gallo said in an email, 'resulting in decreased diet quality, increased risk of food-borne illness and exacerbated health disparities.' This study is not the first to find an association between negative health outcomes and small increases in ultraprocessed food. A February 2024 study found 'strong' evidence that people who ate more ultraprocessed food had a 50% higher risk of cardiovascular disease-related death and common mental disorders. Higher intake of ultraprocessed foods might also increase the risk of anxiety by up to 53%, obesity by 55%, sleep disorders by 41%, development of type 2 diabetes by 40% and the risk of depression or an early death from any cause by 20%. Researchers in the February study defined a higher intake as one serving or about 10% more ultraprocessed foods per day. A May 2024 study found that adding just 10% of ultraprocessed food to an otherwise healthy diet may also increase the risk of cognitive decline and stroke, while 2023 research determined that including 10% more ultraprocessed foods was linked to a greater chance of developing cancers of the upper digestive tract. It's estimated that as much as 70% of the US food supply is ultraprocessed. 'Two-thirds of the calories children consume in the US are ultraprocessed, while about 60% of adult diets are ultraprocessed,' Fang Fang Zhang, associate professor and chair of the division of nutrition epidemiology and data science at Tufts University in Boston, told CNN in an earlier interview. Zhang was not involved in the new research. The latest study, published Monday in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, took an additional step by estimating how many deaths might be prevented in eight countries with low, medium and high consumption of ultraprocessed foods. 'Premature preventable deaths due to the consumption of UPFs can vary from 4% in countries with lower UPF consumption to almost 14% in countries with the highest UPF consumption,' lead study author Eduardo Augusto Fernandes Nilson, a researcher at the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation in Rio de Janeiro, said in a statement. However, it's important to note that the study was unable to determine if the deaths were 'caused by UPF consumption. The methods of this study simply cannot determine this,' said nutrition scientist Nerys Astbury, an associate professor of diet and obesity at the UK's University of Oxford, in a statement. He was not involved in the study. The United States has the highest level of ultraprocessed food consumption in the world — nearly 55% of the average American's diet, according to the study. Researchers estimated reducing the use of those ultraprocessed foods to zero would have prevented over 124,000 deaths in the US in 2017. In countries where consumption of ultraprocessed foods is low, such as Colombia (15% of the diet) and Brazil (17.4%), reducing the use to zero would have prevented nearly 3,000 deaths in the former country in 2015 and 25,000 deaths in the latter in 2017, according to the study. 'The authors set the theoretical minimal risk level to be 0. This implies a scenario where all UPFs are eliminated, which is highly unrealistic and nearly impossible in our current society,' Zhang said in an email. 'As a result, the estimated burden of pre-mature death due to UPFs could be overestimated.' Stephen Burgess, a statistician in the MRC Biostatistics Unit at the UK's University of Cambridge, said that while the study cannot prove the consumption of ultraprocessed foods is harmful, 'it does provide evidence linking consumption with poorer health outcomes.' 'It is possible that the true causal risk factor is not ultraprocessed foods, but a related risk factor such as better physical fitness — and ultraprocessed foods is simply an innocent bystander,' said Burgess, who was not involved in the study, in a statement. 'But, when we see these associations replicated across many countries and cultures, it raises suspicion that ultraprocessed foods may be more than a bystander.'
CNN
28-04-2025
- Health
- CNN
Every bite of ultraprocessed food will increase your chance of an early death, major new study says
Sign up for CNN's Eat, But Better: Mediterranean Style. Our eight-part guide shows you a delicious expert-backed eating lifestyle that will boost your health for life. CNN — As you add more ultraprocessed foods to your diet, your risk of a premature death from any cause rises, according to a new meta-analysis of research involving more than 240,000 people. 'We looked at the risk of a person dying from eating more ultraprocessed foods between the ages of 30 and 69, a time when it would be premature to die,' said study coauthor Carlos Augusto Monteiro, emeritus professor of nutrition and public health in the School of Public Health at Brazil's University of São Paulo. 'We found that for each 10% increase in total calories from ultraprocessed foods, the risk of dying prematurely rose by nearly 3%,' said Monteiro, who coined the term 'ultraprocessed' in 2009 when he developed NOVA, a system of classifying foods into four groups by their level of processing. Group one of the NOVA system is unprocessed or minimally processed foods in their natural state, such as fruits, vegetables, meat, milk and eggs. Group two includes culinary ingredients such as salt, herbs and oils. Group three consists of processed foods that combine groups one and two — canned goods and frozen vegetables are examples. Group four includes ultraprocessed foods. By Monteiro's definition, ultraprocessed foods contain little to no whole food. Instead, they are manufactured from 'chemically manipulated cheap ingredients' and often use 'synthetic additives to make them edible, palatable and habit-forming.' 'No reason exists to believe that humans can fully adapt to these products,' Monteiro cowrote in a 2024 editorial in the journal The BMJ. 'The body may react to them as useless or harmful, so its systems may become impaired or damaged, depending on their vulnerability and the amount of ultra-processed food consumed.' But the new study is misleading and will lead to consumer confusion, said Sarah Gallo, senior vice president of product policy for the Consumer Brands Association, which represents the food industry. 'Demonizing convenient, affordable and shelf ready food and beverage products could limit access to and cause avoidance of nutrient dense foods,' Gallo said in an email, 'resulting in decreased diet quality, increased risk of food-borne illness and exacerbated health disparities.' Just a serving a day matters, studies say This study is not the first to find an association between negative health outcomes and small increases in ultraprocessed food. A February 2024 study found 'strong' evidence that people who ate more ultraprocessed food had a 50% higher risk of cardiovascular disease-related death and common mental disorders. Higher intake of ultraprocessed foods might also increase the risk of anxiety by up to 53%, obesity by 55%, sleep disorders by 41%, development of type 2 diabetes by 40% and the risk of depression or an early death from any cause by 20%. Researchers in the February study defined a higher intake as one serving or about 10% more ultraprocessed foods per day. A May 2024 study found that adding just 10% of ultraprocessed food to an otherwise healthy diet may also increase the risk of cognitive decline and stroke, while 2023 research determined that including 10% more ultraprocessed foods was linked to a greater chance of developing cancers of the upper digestive tract. It's estimated that as much as 70% of the US food supply is ultraprocessed. 'Two-thirds of the calories children consume in the US are ultraprocessed, while about 60% of adult diets are ultraprocessed,' Fang Fang Zhang, associate professor and chair of the division of nutrition epidemiology and data science at Tufts University in Boston, told CNN in an earlier interview. Zhang was not involved in the new research. A global estimate of preventable deaths The latest study, published Monday in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, took an additional step by estimating how many deaths might be prevented in eight countries with low, medium and high consumption of ultraprocessed foods. 'Premature preventable deaths due to the consumption of UPFs can vary from 4% in countries with lower UPF consumption to almost 14% in countries with the highest UPF consumption,' lead study author Eduardo Augusto Fernandes Nilson, a researcher at the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation in Rio de Janeiro, said in a statement. However, it's important to note that the study was unable to determine if the deaths were 'caused by UPF consumption. The methods of this study simply cannot determine this,' said nutrition scientist Nerys Astbury, an associate professor of diet and obesity at the UK's University of Oxford, in a statement. He was not involved in the study. The United States has the highest level of ultraprocessed food consumption in the world — nearly 55% of the average American's diet, according to the study. Researchers estimated reducing the use of those ultraprocessed foods to zero would have prevented over 124,000 deaths in the US in 2017. In countries where consumption of ultraprocessed foods is low, such as Colombia (15% of the diet) and Brazil (17.4%), reducing the use to zero would have prevented nearly 3,000 deaths in the former country in 2015 and 25,000 deaths in the latter in 2017, according to the study. 'The authors set the theoretical minimal risk level to be 0. This implies a scenario where all UPFs are eliminated, which is highly unrealistic and nearly impossible in our current society,' Zhang said in an email. 'As a result, the estimated burden of pre-mature death due to UPFs could be overestimated.' Stephen Burgess, a statistician in the MRC Biostatistics Unit at the UK's University of Cambridge, said that while the study cannot prove the consumption of ultraprocessed foods is harmful, 'it does provide evidence linking consumption with poorer health outcomes.' 'It is possible that the true causal risk factor is not ultraprocessed foods, but a related risk factor such as better physical fitness — and ultraprocessed foods is simply an innocent bystander,' said Burgess, who was not involved in the study, in a statement. 'But, when we see these associations replicated across many countries and cultures, it raises suspicion that ultraprocessed foods may be more than a bystander.'
