A new study published Tuesday in JAMA has found that the calories consumed by children and adolescents from ultra-processed foods increased from 61% in 1999 to 67% in 2018, according to Science Daily.
The study, conducted by the researchers of the Friedman School of Nutrition Science & Policy at Tufts University, analyzed dietary intake from 33,795 children and adolescents nationwide.
Senior author Dr. Fang Fang Zhang said, “Some whole-grain breads and dairy foods are ultra-processed, and they’re healthier than other ultra-processed foods. Processing can keep food fresher longer, allows for food fortification and enrichment, and enhances consumer convenience.”
“But many ultra-processed foods are less healthy, with more sugar and salt, and less fiber, than unprocessed and minimally processed foods, and the increase in their consumption by children and teenagers is concerning,” added Dr. Zhang, who is a nutrition epidemiologist at the Friedman School.
The researchers found that the largest spike in calories came from ready-to-eat or ready-to-heat dishes, such as frozen pizza and burgers. And the second-largest spike in calories came from packaged sweet snacks and desserts.
There were no statistically significant differences in the overall findings by parental education and family income, according to Science Daily.
“The lack of disparities based on parental education and family income indicates that ultra-processed foods are pervasive in children’s diets,” Dr. Zhang explained. “This finding supports the need for researchers to track trends in food consumption more fully, taking into account consumption of ultra-processed foods.”
However, calories from sugar-sweetened beverages dropped from 10.8% to 5.3% in the study period.
Dr. Zhang explained, “This finding shows the benefits of the concerted campaign over the past few years to reduce overall consumption of sugary drinks. We need to mobilize the same energy and level of commitment when it comes to other unhealthy ultra-processed foods such as cakes, cookies, doughnuts, and brownies.”
The study’s first author Lu Wang said, “In additional analyses, we compared the composition of ultra-processed foods to non-ultra processed foods using data from the 2017-2018 period.”
“We found that ultra-processed foods contain a substantially higher percent of calories from carbohydrates and added sugars, and higher levels of sodium, but also had less fiber and a lower percentage of calories from protein,” she added.
“Food processing is an often-overlooked dimension in nutrition research,” concluded Dr. Zhang. “We may need to consider that ultraprocessing of some foods may be associated with health risks, independent of the poor nutrient profile of ultra-processed foods generally.” The article was published in Science Daily.
