Latest news with #EduardoNilson
Irish Daily Star
30-04-2025
- Health
- Irish Daily Star
Four ultra-processed foods that may be harming your health without you realizing
When asked to identify ultra-processed foods, many people would likely point to high fat or sugar snacks and meals. Biscuits, crisps, sausages, and pastries are all obvious examples - but there are some less well-known ones. The health warning offers similar advice to an expert who said a diet switch could lead to a 17 percent reduction of your death risk. The British Heart Foundation explains that the term 'ultra-processed foods', which has been linked to increased chances of contracting serious health issues , originates from the NOVA food classification system developed by researchers at the University of São Paulo, Brazil. This system categorises food into four groups based on the extent of processing during production: Unprocessed or minimally processed foods : This includes produce such as fruit, vegetables, milk, fish, pulses, eggs, nuts and seeds that have no added ingredients and have been little altered from their natural state. Read More Related Articles FDA says bread sold in six states has been recalled over 'glass fragments' Read More Related Articles Four jobs linked to highest heart disease risk including one with 'extreme' effects Processed ingredients : This includes foods that are added to other foods rather than eaten by themselves, such as salt , sugar and oils Dr Chris Van Tulleken, author of Ultra Processed People, says many of us are consuming ultra-processed foods without even realising it (Image: Getty Images) Processed foods : These are foods that are made by combining foods from groups 1 and 2, which are altered in a way that home cooks could do themselves. They include foods such as jam, pickles, tinned fruit and vegetables, homemade breads and cheeses Ultra-processed foods : Ultra-processed foods typically have more than 1 ingredient that you never or rarely find in a kitchen. They also tend to include many additives and ingredients that are not typically used in home cooking, such as preservatives, emulsifiers, sweeteners, and artificial colours and flavours. These foods generally have a long shelf life. Many items in the UPF category are tasty choices or quick and easy to grab, making them a popular choice in our hectic lives. However, researchers have just released findings from a significant study which revealed that nearly 18,000 people potentially died as a result of consuming UPFs. The research, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, found that in 2018/19, approximately 17,781 premature deaths in the UK could have been associated with UPFs, , reports Surrey Live . Lead investigator Eduardo Nilson, hailing from Brazil's notable Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, outlined: "UPFs affect health beyond the individual impact of high content of critical nutrients (sodium, trans fats, and sugar) because of the changes in the foods during industrial processing and the use of artificial ingredients, including colourants, artificial flavours and sweeteners, emulsifiers, and many other additives and processing aids, so assessing deaths from all causes associated with UPF consumption allows an overall estimate of the effect of industrial food processing on health." Dr Nilson highlighted the stark findings of the study: "Each 10% increase in the participation of UPFs in the diet increases the risk of death from all causes by 3%." The British Heart Foundation (BHF) cautions: "More than half of the energy (calories) an average person in the UK eats and drinks comes from ultra-processed foods. That's perhaps not surprising as they can be convenient and appealing and are heavily marketed to us. But researchers have shown that ultra-processed foods can impact our health." However, it's not always straightforward to dodge UPFs, some are more elusive than you think. It's clear they go beyond sausage ice cream, crisps, and biscuits - striking some as seemingly healthy or just unexpected. Ultra-processed foods that might catch us off guard. Many people might not realize that their 'healthy' breakfast cereal or a ham salad sandwich could be packed with UPFs. The BHF remarks: "When you think of ultra-processed foods, you might think of chips, sweets, and colourful sugary drinks, but there are some less obvious examples." It's highlighted a few items that may fly under your UPF radar. Breakfast cereals and bread. Common goods like breakfast cereals and mass-produced or packaged bread are often tagged as ultra-processed foods. They typically contain added extras during their making, such as emulsifiers, sweeteners, and artificial colours and flavours. The BHF notes: "One of the criticisms of the NOVA method of categorising foods is that foods like these, which can be part of a healthy diet, sit alongside less nutritious ultra-processed foods. Less nutritious ultra-processed foods can include pre-prepared meals, sausages and nuggets, as well as sweets, biscuits, pastries, buns, cakes and pre-prepared chips." Vegetarian and vegan foods. Even plant-based meat and cheese alternatives fall into the ultra-processed category, so they might not be as wholesome as their marketing suggests. Cheese. Most fresh dairy cheeses such as Cheddar, Brie, mozzarella, and Edam are classified as processed foods because they're made using methods like pasteurisation, fermentation, or ageing, according to the BHF. However, some cheeses are considered UPFs. The BHF advises: "Cheeses that are ultra-processed include cheese slices, spreads, some shredded cheeses, and flavoured cheeses. They have been industrially processed and can typically contain added fats, sugars and salt, as well as ingredients we do not have at home, such as preservatives, sweeteners, emulsifiers, and artificial colourings. "Vegetarian and vegan cheeses can also be ultra-processed because of the ingredients and additives used to make them taste and feel like dairy cheese. Cheese is a good source of calcium and protein and, in moderation, can be a healthy part of your diet. "To avoid ultra-processed foods, stick to traditional cheeses. For example, buying Cheddar in a large block and slicing it yourself is cheaper and healthier than buying pre-sliced options. "But keep in mind that cheese can be high in salt and saturated fat, so aim for a matchbox-sized portion (around 30g) per day to keep your intake in check." Beverages. Ultra-processed foods aren't limited to brightly colored options. According to the BHF, "carbonated drinks and some alcoholic beverages, including whisky, gin, and rum," all fall under this category. Is it necessary to completely eliminate UPFs from my diet? The BHF advises that even though evidence is piling up against ultra-processed foods in relation to heart and circulatory health, the current research isn't strong enough to mandate completely ditching them. They suggest: "Instead of trying to completely cut out these foods, think about the balance in your diet. For all the latest news straight to your inbox, sign up for our FREE newsletters here . "Make sure that there are minimally processed foods in there too – eat fruit and vegetables with your meals and drink water instead of sugary drinks – and try to fit in time over the week for home cooking. It's also important to remember that not all ultra-processed foods are equal. "When you do include ultra-processed foods in your diet, choose those with more nutritional benefit – wholegrain bread and cereals or baked beans for example, instead of crisps, sweets or pizzas. Get in the habit of reading food labels so you can easily identify and cut back on foods that are high in sugar, salt, or saturated fat." For the latest local news and features on Irish America, visit our homepage here .
Daily Mail
28-04-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Scientists finally reveal true death toll from ultraprocessed foods... and it's worse than anyone feared
Ultraprocessed foods are killing more Americans than fentanyl, a shock study suggests. Using death records and nutritional data, researchers estimated that 125,000 premature deaths in the US could be blamed on consuming these types of foods in 2017-2018. For comparison, 73,000 died from fentanyl overdoses in 2022, the latest data shows. Ultraprocessed food is thought to increase the risk of conditions like diabetes and heart disease due to high levels of saturated fat and sugar, as well as artificial additives. The study looked into diets in eight countries, including the US and UK. They then estimated how many of those deaths could be linked to ultraprocessed foods like meats, candy, ice cream and even some salads and breads through nutritional surveys. The study found one in seven of the nearly 1million premature deaths in the US could be blamed on ultraprocessed foods from 2017 to 2018. According to the study, ultraprocessed foods also make up more than half of the calories the average American consumes every day - more than any other country in the world. The above table shows the percentage of calories ultraprocessed foods account for in all countries studied and the number of premature deaths associated with them And for every 10 percent of extra ultraprocessed food consumed, the risk of early death increases by three percent. Ultraprocessed foods have long been under scrutiny for containing high levels of saturated fat, salt, sugar and additives like emulsifiers and artificial colors not typically found in home cooking. As a result, the researchers associated them with 32 chronic diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, obesity and some forms of cancer. Dr Eduardo Nilson, lead study author from the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation in Brazil, said: 'UPFs affect health beyond the individual impact of high content of critical nutrients (sodium, trans fats and sugar) because of the changes in the foods during industrial processing and the use of artificial ingredients, including colorants, artificial flavors and sweeteners, emulsifiers, and many other additives and processing aids.' He noted because of this, 'assessing deaths from all-causes associated with UPF consumption allows an overall estimate of the effect of industrial food processing on health.' Independent researchers, however, cautioned the findings do not prove ultraprocessed foods directly lead to an early death and called for additional studies. The study, published in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine, calculated the number of premature deaths in the US, UK, Colombia, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Australia and Canada. From 2017 to 2018, the US experienced 906,795 premature deaths, which is defined as death before a country's average life expectancy. In the US, this is 77 years old. That was nearly twice the amount of the next closest country, Brazil, which had 556,696. The team then collected nutritional data from national surveys to calculate how pervasive ultraprocessed foods are in each country's diet. In the US, ultraprocessed foods were responsible for 54 percent of the average person's consumed calories. The researchers found 124,107 premature deaths in the US could be blamed on ultraprocessed foods. This is about 14 percent or one in seven. Meanwhile 17,781 deaths could be linked to these foods in the UK, also totaling about 14 percent. Colombia, Brazil and Chile, however, attributed ultraprocessed foods to four to six percent of their premature deaths. The researchers suggested this could be because these foods are less common in these countries. For example, ultraprocessed foods only make up 15 percent of the average calories consumed in Colombia. In Brazil and Chile, these foods account for 17 and 23 percent of the average resident's diet, respectively. Studies have linked ultra processed foods to cancer, diabetes, mental health conditions and obesity The researchers wrote: 'Premature deaths attributable to consumptions of ultraprocessed foods increase significantly according to their share in individuals' total energy intake. 'A high amount of UPF intake can significantly affect health.' A study published last year in BMJ, for example, found people who consumed the highest amount of ultraprocessed foods had a four percent higher risk of death overall and a nine percent greater risk of dying from a chronic disease other than cancer or heart disease. Those researchers suggested the increased risk could be due to high amounts of sugar, saturated fat and sodium. The team behind the new study urged lawmakers worldwide to introduce measures to eliminate ultraprocessed foods from the food supply, such as tighter regulations of food marketing and restrictions on selling them in schools. There were several limitations to the study, mainly including the findigns showing associations rather than direct causes. Independent experts also raised concerns about the findings. Professor Nita Forouhi, professor of health and nutrition at the University of Cambridge, said: 'There are limitations to this paper, including the points the authors themselves raised. 'Nonetheless, evidence on the 'health harms of UPF' are accumulating and this paper does add to that body of evidence, and UPFs are unlikely to be healthful.' Forouhi emphasized correlation does not mean ultraprocessed foods directly cause death, though observational studies 'are often the best we are going to get realistically.' 'We should not ignore such findings, especially as the current research has reported consistently similar associations in several countries which increases the degree of confidence,' she added. Professor Kevin McConway, emeritus professor of applied statistics at Open University in England, said: 'The researchers may appear to be making a simple comparison, but in fact it's a lot more complicated than you might think. Like Forouhi, McConway noted the data is observational and does not prove causation. 'Researchers record what people eat, and then follow them up for a long time and record if and when they died,' he said. 'This all means that it's impossible, for any one study like that, to be sure whether differences in mortality between people who consume different UPF amounts are actually caused by differences in their UPF consumption. 'There are bound to be many other differences between groups who consume different UPF amounts, in terms of other details of their diet, their lifestyle, their economic position, their sex and age, and so on. These differences might be, in part or in whole, the reason for the differences in the risk of early death.' He added: 'I'm certainly not saying that there is no association between UPF consumption and ill health – just that it's still far from clear whether consumption of just any UPF at all is bad for health, or of what aspect of UPFs might be involved.'
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Ultra-processed foods could be linked to thousands of UK deaths a year
Thousands of UK deaths each year could be linked to the consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs), analysis suggests. Experts believe there is a relationship between people eating UPFs - such as processed meats, ice cream and crisps - and an increased risk of early death. UPFs often contain high levels of saturated fat, salt, sugar and additives, which researchers said leaves less room in people's diets for more nutritious foods. The analysis suggested that in 2018-19, some 17,781 premature deaths in the UK could have been linked to UPFs. Such foods also tend to include ingredients that are not normally used when people cook from scratch - including preservatives, emulsifiers and artificial colours and flavours. Other examples of UPFs include mass-produced bread, some breakfast cereals, biscuits, ready meals and fizzy drinks. UPFs have previously been linked to an increased risk of early death and , including obesity, heart disease, cancer and diabetes. However, some experts say it is not clear why UPFs are linked to poor and more studies will be needed "to establish the mechanisms involved". The latest study, published in the American Journal Of Preventive Medicine, calls on governments to issue dietary recommendations aimed at cutting consumption of UPFs. In analysing data from eight countries, it was found UPFs made up 53% of people's energy intake in the UK - the second highest after 55% in the US. In Colombia, which has a lower consumption of UPFs, premature deaths attributable to these types of foods was 4%. But premature deaths from UPFs jumped to 14% for the UK and the US, according to the research. Read more from Sky News: Lead researcher Eduardo Nilson, from the scientific body the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation in Brazil, said the study found "each 10% increase in the participation of UPFs in the diet increases the risk of death from all causes by 3%". Nerys Astbury, associate professor from the University Of Oxford, said it is known that consuming diets higher in calories, fat and sugar can have detrimental effects on health, including premature mortality. "More research is needed to ascertain a causal link between UPF and disease and to establish the mechanisms involved," she added.
Sky News
28-04-2025
- Health
- Sky News
Ultra-processed foods could be linked to thousands of UK deaths a year
Thousands of UK deaths each year could be linked to the consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs), analysis suggests. Experts believe there is a relationship between people eating UPFs - such as processed meats, ice cream and crisps - and an increased risk of early death. UPFs often contain high levels of saturated fat, salt, sugar and additives, which researchers said leaves less room in people's diets for more nutritious foods. The analysis suggested that in 2018-19, some 17,781 premature deaths in the UK could have been linked to UPFs. Such foods also tend to include ingredients that are not normally used when people cook from scratch - including preservatives, emulsifiers and artificial colours and flavours. Other examples of UPFs include mass-produced bread, some breakfast cereals, biscuits, ready meals and fizzy drinks. UPFs have previously been linked to an increased risk of early death and a range of health issues, including obesity, heart disease, cancer and diabetes. However, some experts say it is not clear why UPFs are linked to poor health and more studies will be needed "to establish the mechanisms involved". The latest study, published in the American Journal Of Preventive Medicine, calls on governments to issue dietary recommendations aimed at cutting consumption of UPFs. In analysing data from eight countries, it was found UPFs made up 53% of people's energy intake in the UK - the second highest after 55% in the US. In Colombia, which has a lower consumption of UPFs, premature deaths attributable to these types of foods was 4%. But premature deaths from UPFs jumped to 14% for the UK and the US, according to the research. Lead researcher Eduardo Nilson, from the scientific body the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation in Brazil, said the study found "each 10% increase in the participation of UPFs in the diet increases the risk of death from all causes by 3%". Nerys Astbury, associate professor from the University Of Oxford, said it is known that consuming diets higher in calories, fat and sugar can have detrimental effects on health, including premature mortality. "More research is needed to ascertain a causal link between UPF and disease and to establish the mechanisms involved," she added.
The Independent
28-04-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Scientists say this common food type is killing ‘thousands' every year
Thousands of UK deaths each year may be linked to ultra-processed foods (UPFs), according to new analysis. Experts suggest a correlation between UPF consumption and increased risk of premature mortality. UPFs, including ice cream, processed meats, crisps, mass-produced bread, some breakfast cereals, biscuits, and fizzy drinks, have already been linked to various health issues. These include obesity, heart disease, cancer, and early death. Often high in saturated fat, salt, sugar, and additives, UPFs displace more nutritious options in diets, researchers say. They also contain preservatives, emulsifiers, and artificial colours and flavours not typically found in home cooking. However, some experts say it is not clear why UPFs are linked to poor health and question whether this is because of processing or because people are opting for foods high in fat, sugar and salt rather than more nutritious options. In the new study, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, experts call on governments to issue dietary recommendations aimed at cutting consumption of UPFs. They looked at data from eight countries around the world and found UPFs reached 53 per cent of people's energy intake in the UK – the second highest in the study after 55 per cent in the US. Premature deaths attributable to UPFs ranged from 4 per cent of premature deaths in lower consumption settings, such as Colombia, up to 14 per cent of premature deaths in the UK and US, according to their mathematical modelling. The researchers suggested that in 2018/19, some 17,781 premature deaths in the UK could have been linked to UPFs, according to their model. Lead investigator of the study Eduardo Nilson, from the scientific body the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation in Brazil, said: 'UPFs affect health beyond the individual impact of high content of critical nutrients (sodium, trans fats, and sugar) because of the changes in the foods during industrial processing and the use of artificial ingredients, including colourants, artificial flavours and sweeteners, emulsifiers, and many other additives and processing aids, so assessing deaths from all causes associated with UPF consumption allows an overall estimate of the effect of industrial food processing on health.' Dr Nilson said the study found 'each 10 per cent increase in the participation of UPFs in the diet increases the risk of death from all causes by 3 per cent'. Stephen Burgess, statistician in the MRC Biostatistics Unit at the University of Cambridge, said the study was observational and could not prove cause. 'This type of research cannot prove that consumption of ultra-processed foods is harmful, but it does provide evidence linking consumption with poorer health outcomes,' he said. 'It is possible that the true causal risk factor is not ultra-processed foods, but a related risk factor such as better physical fitness – and ultra-processed foods is simply an innocent bystander. 'But when we see these associations replicated across many countries and cultures, it raises suspicion that ultra-processed foods may be more than a bystander.' Nerys Astbury, associate professor from the University of Oxford, said it is known that consuming diets higher in calories, fat and sugar can have detrimental effects on health, including premature mortality. 'This study adds to the body of evidence on the association between UPF and ill health and disease,' Dr Astbury added. 'However, many UPF tend to be high in these nutrients, and studies to date have been unable to determine with certainty whether the effects of UPF are independent of the already established effects of diets high in foods which are energy dense and contain large amounts of fat and sugar. 'The authors of the study conclude that advice to reduce UPF consumption should be included in national dietary guideline recommendations and in public policies. 'However, rushing to add recommendations on UPF to these recommendations is not warranted based on this study in my opinion.' She said the Nova system, which defines foods according to different levels of food processing, 'has many limitations, including arbitrary definitions and overly broad food categories…'. She added: 'More research is needed to ascertain a causal link between UPF and disease and to establish the mechanisms involved.'
