Widely available, popular. Shocking how it can affect the body

Ultra-processed foods, also called highly processed foods, include products such as cold cuts, cookies, delicatessen products, carbonated drinks, crisps, ice cream, and even some breakfast cereals. They contain ingredients that are not available at home, such as preservatives, emulsifiers, modified starches, artificial sweeteners, and flavor enhancers.

According to the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, the latest studies were conducted in Australia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Canada, Mexico, the United States and the United Kingdom.

They show that in the US and UK, highly processed foods, which already account for half of the calories consumed there, may be responsible for 14% of premature deaths.

In Colombia and Brazil, 20% of consumed calories are wasted on UPF, and the percentage of premature deaths related to it has been estimated at 4%.

The lead author of the study, Dr. Eduardo Nelson from Brazil, says that some premature deaths may be related to changes in food as a result of industrial methods and the use of artificial ingredients responsible for the taste, smell, appearance and color of products, and other additives.

Prof. Kevin McConway of the Open University in the UK argues that it is impossible to show differences in lifespan in individuals depending on the consumption of various types of highly processed foods. - In such studies, you can never be sure what is responsible for what - he points out in an interview for BBC News.

Dr. Nerys Astbury from the University of Oxford agrees. In her opinion , it is not certain whether premature death is related to the consumption of UPF or rather to products rich in fat, sugar and salt . Many studies have shown that this type of diet, in addition to being high in calories, promotes lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, heart attacks and strokes. - And many UPF products contain such ingredients - emphasizes the specialist.

Dr. Stephen Burgess from Cambridge University also claims that these studies cannot unequivocally prove that eating highly processed food is harmful. However, he emphasizes that such a suggestion cannot be completely ignored. UPF - he believes - is not completely indifferent .

The Food and Drink Federation in the UK argues that ultra-processed foods include many different types of products, including those that help maintain a balanced diet, such as yoghurts, pasta sauces and bread. It also notes that the ingredients used in them are approved as safe for consumption by the Food Standards Agency.

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