(Press-News.org) Adolescents consume around two-thirds of their daily calories from ultra-processed foods (UPFs) new research from the Universities of Cambridge and Bristol has found.
The study found that UPF consumption was highest among adolescents from deprived backgrounds, those of white ethnicity, and younger adolescents.
UPFs are food items that are manufactured from industrial substances and contain additives such as preservatives, sweeteners, colourings, flavourings, and emulsifiers. UPFs vary greatly, but tend to indicate poor dietary quality, with higher levels of added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium, as well as decreased fibre, protein, and micronutrient content. They have been suggested as one of the key drivers of the global rise in diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cancer.
Globally, the availability and sales of UPFs have increased over time and previous evidence suggests that this has led to increased consumption among adolescents. To look at trends within the UK, researchers from Cambridge and Bristol analysed data from four-day food diaries of almost 3,000 adolescents in the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey between 2008/09 and 2018/19.
In research published today in the European Journal of Nutrition, the researchers found that a mean of 66% of adolescents’ energy intake came from UPF consumption during this period, though there was a slight fall from 68% to 63% between 2008/09 and 2018/2019.
Parents’ occupation, ethnic group and UK region all influenced the proportion of calorie intake from UPFs:
Adolescents from disadvantaged backgrounds consumed a higher proportion of their calorie intake from UPFs compared to adolescents from less disadvantaged backgrounds (68.4% compared with 63.8%).
Adolescents from a non-white ethnicity consumed a lower proportion of their calorie intake from UPFs (59.0% compared with 67.3%).
Adolescents living in the North of England consumed a higher proportion of their calorie intake from UPFs compared with those living in the South of England and London (67.4% compared with 64.1%).
18-year-olds consumed a lower proportion of their calorie intake from UPFs compared with 11-year-olds (63.4% compared with 65.6%).
Dr Yanaina Chavez-Ugalde from the Medical Research Council (MRC) Epidemiology Unit at the University of Cambridge, the study’s first author, said: “Adolescents’ food patterns and practices are influenced by many factors, including their home environment, the marketing they are exposed to and the influence of their friends and peers. But adolescence is also an important time in our lives where behaviours begin to become ingrained.
“It’s clear from our findings that ultra-processed foods make up the majority of adolescents’ diets, and their consumption is at a much higher level than is ideal, given their potential negative health impacts.”
The researchers argue that the observed reduction in UPF intake pre-pandemic could be partly explained by an increased public awareness and health concerns associated with sugar consumption, government-led campaigns, sugar-taxes in other countries and the reformulation of sugary drinks to reduce their sugar content.
Dr Esther van Sluijs from the MRC Epidemiology Unit at Cambridge, joint senior author, said: “Ultra-processed foods offer convenient and often cheaper solutions to time- and income-poor families, but unfortunately many of these foods also offer poor nutritional value. This could be contributing to the inequalities in health we see emerging across childhood and adolescence.”
Dr Zoi Toumpakari from the Centre for Exercise, Nutrition and Health Sciences at the University of Bristol, joint senior author, added: “Our findings suggest that disparities in consumption of ultra-processed foods are not just down to individual choices. We hope this evidence can help guide policymakers in designing more effective policies to combat the negative effects of ultra-processed food consumption among youth and the ripple effects this has on public health.”
This study was largely funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research School for Public Health Research.
Reference
Chavez-Ugalde, Y et al. Ultra-processed food consumption in UK adolescents: distribution, trends, and sociodemographic correlates using the National Diet and Nutrition Survey 2008/09 to 2018/19. Eur J Nutr; 17 Jul 2024; DOI: 10.1007/s00394-024-03458-z
END
Ultra-processed food makes up almost two-thirds of calorie intake of UK adolescents
2024-07-17
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
New research reveals link between Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) and liver damage
2024-07-17
SINGAPORE – An international study has discovered that people living with the neurodegenerative condition Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) are at higher risk of developing fatty liver disease, suggesting that SMA patients may face additional health problems over time. This finding raises significant concerns about long-term care and health outcomes for individuals with SMA.
SMA is a rare genetic condition that prevents the body from producing Survival Motor Neuron (SMN), a protein essential for nerves that control ...
Researchers say new atlas may revolutionize traumatic brain injury treatment
2024-07-17
Researchers at Phoenix’s Barrow Neurological Institute and the University of Pittsburgh have created a vast interactive atlas that may eventually help doctors use precision medicine to target treatments for traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients – and could replace the existing uniform treatment model. The study was published this week by Cell Press.
With 40-50 million new cases each year, the global incidence of TBI outstrips common neurological diseases, including stroke and Alzheimer’s disease. Effective treatments have remained elusive ...
Weight gain in young and middle-aged adults is linked to poor heart health in older age
2024-07-17
People who gain excess weight from their 20s onwards have less healthy hearts by the time they are in their 60s, according to research published in the European Heart Journal [1] today (Wednesday).
Scientists found links between weight gain in young and middle-aged adults and enlarged hearts that pump blood less well. This is over and above the effect of being overweight in later years.
The findings are based on a major study that has monitored the health of all the babies born in England, Scotland and Wales during one week in 1946.
The study was led by Alun Hughes, Professor of Cardiovascular Physiology and Pharmacology at UCL in London, UK. ...
Tobacco industry is specifically targeting Arab and Ultra-Orthodox news media in Israel
2024-07-17
A recent study revealed that there are significant disparities in how Philip Morris International's IQOS heated tobacco product is portrayed in newspapers and other media aimed at different demographic groups in Israel. Specifically, news media targeted at Israel's Arab population tends to present IQOS more positively and is more likely to include misinformation regarding its safety, social benefits, and accessibility, often relying on PMI as a primary information source. This contrasts with the portrayal ...
New 3D anatomical atlas of the African clawed frog increases understanding of development and metamorphosis processes
2024-07-17
New 3D Anatomical Atlas of the African Clawed Frog Increases Understanding of Development and Metamorphosis Processes
The lifespan of Xenopus laevis is presented in unprecedented detail using high-quality X-ray microtomography images and 3D reconstructions to reveal embryonic development and metamorphosis processes.
A 3D anatomical atlas of the model organism Xenopus laevis (the African clawed frog) is now available to aid researchers in understanding embryonic development and metamorphosis — the intriguing process by which a tadpole transforms into a mature frog. The lack of availability of this type of data has greatly limited the ability to assess and understand these complex ...
Large study confirms: Siblings of autistic children have 20% chance of autism
2024-07-17
Siblings of autistic children have a 20% chance of being autistic themselves — about seven times higher than the rate in infants with no autistic siblings.
That’s the key finding of a new paper by UC Davis MIND Institute researcher Sally Ozonoff and the Baby Siblings Research Consortium. The consortium is a collection of more than 20 research groups at universities worldwide.
Ozonoff is a distinguished professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. She has studied the recurrence of autism in families for decades.
The new study ...
Children with conduct disorder show widespread brain structural differences – new international study
2024-07-17
Conduct disorder in young people is associated with differences in surface area across much of the brain compared to typically developing children, new research shows.
Conduct disorder (CD) is a common, yet under-recognised condition with symptoms including antisocial or aggressive behaviours, such as, fighting, bullying and rule-breaking. It is usually diagnosed in childhood or adolescence and often leads to poor social and mental health outcomes. Unlike more widely recognised disorders such as ADHD and autism, CD is far less researched and understood, even though it is estimated to affect around 3% of children ...
Youth with conduct disorder show widespread differences in brain structure
2024-07-17
A neuroimaging study of young people who exhibit a persistent pattern of disruptive, aggressive, and antisocial behavior, known as conduct disorder, has revealed extensive changes in brain structure. The most pronounced difference was a smaller area of the brain’s outer layer, known as the cerebral cortex, which is critical for many aspects of behavior, cognition and emotion. The study, co-authored by researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is published in The Lancet Psychiatry.
“Conduct disorder has among the highest burden of any mental disorder in youth. However, it remains understudied ...
Active commuting linked to lower risks of mental and physical ill health
2024-07-17
Commuters who cycle or walk to and from work or study may have lower risks of mental and physical ill health than those who don’t rely on these options, finds a large long term study published in the open access journal BMJ Public Health.
While health benefits were observed for both types of active commuting, the strongest health benefits were seen for cyclists among whom the risk of death from any cause was 47% lower, the findings show.
Active travel is considered to be one of the most practical and sustainable ways to increase daily physical activity, and there is mounting evidence in favour of its associated health ...
Resistance exercise ‘activity breaks’ at night may improve sleep length
2024-07-17
Resistance exercise ‘activity breaks’ at night may improve sleep length, suggest the findings of a small comparative study published in the open access journal BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine.
Three-minute breaks every 30 minutes over a period of 4 hours may be all that’s needed, the findings indicate.
Current recommendations discourage intense exercise before going to bed, on the grounds that it increases body temperature and heart rate, which can result in poorer sleep quality, say the researchers.
While activity breaks can improve metabolism after a meal, it’s not clear if they have any impact on sleep. Poor sleep is associated with an increased ...