The preservatives and food additives contained in these products undergoing industrial processing contain in particular preservatives and food additives, which act on the body.
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While the government wants to promote a healthier diet based on fresh products, a large study confirms that the significant consumption of ultra-processed products can be linked to more than 30 diseases. This is shown by a synthesis of 45 meta-analyses dating back less than four years and covering nearly 10 million participants. The results were published Wednesday February 28 in thee British Medical journal.
According to this work, high consumption of ultra-processed foods is systematically associated with an increased risk of 32 health problems. The data collected highlights a 50% increased risk for cardiovascular diseases, but also problems of diabetes, hypertension, Crohn’s disease, cancer, overweight, depression, sleep disorders, anxiety or asthma. Overall, higher consumption of ultra-processed foods is associated with a 21% higher risk of death, from any cause.
A call for a framework agreement
By ultra-processed foods, we must understand biscuits, chips, cereals, but also prepared meals or sugary drinks, in fact all products which undergo an industrial transformation process. These foods contain preservatives and food additives. They are also richer in sugar, fat and salt, and lower in fiber and vitamins than raw foods. All these factors act on the body. The authors of the article even call for a UN framework convention similar to that of tobacco to reduce the consumption of these products around the world, with better nutritional labeling, advertising restrictions, and even taxes to encourage tobacco consumption. purchasing fresh produce.
Overall, it is the younger populations and men, a little more than women, who consume more of this type of product. In the world, the biggest fans of these ultra-processed foods are rich and developed countries, with the United States and the United Kingdom in the lead. In these countries, 60% of the daily calorie intake comes from ultra-processed foods. In France this share is twice as low. Generally speaking, Mediterranean countries are more inclined to consume raw products or “homemade” meals.