Recent research continues to add to the mountain of compelling evidence about the possible health effects of ultra-processed foods. These types of foods are typically characterized by being high in saturated fats, sugars, salt, additives, and contaminants while being low in essential nutrients. The aggravating factor is that many of them are baked goods, soft drinks, smoothies, snacksetc. – are widely consumed in childhood.
In particular, our new work, carried out by the Human Nutrition Department of the University of Rovira e Virgili (URV) and the Health Research Institute of Pere Virgili (IISPV), which are part of the CIBERObn consortium of the Carlos III Institute of Health, suggests that there is a relationship between the consumption of ultra-processed food products and some indicators of cardiometabolic health in boys and girls aged 3 to 6 years.
Alarming results
According to our results published in the journal The JAMA Network is opensubjects who ate more of this type of food scored higher on measures of obesity such as body mass index, waist circumference and fat mass index. They also had higher levels of blood glucose (sugar) and less HDL cholesterol (called good cholesterol). In addition, high consumption of ultra-processed foods is observed even at a very early age in life.
The study was conducted as part of the multicentre (i.e. multi-site) CORALS study, which included more than 1,500 girls and boys aged 3 to 6 years from seven Spanish cities: Reus, Cordoba, Santiago de Compostela, Navarra, Valencia, Barcelona and Zaragoza.
These alarming results shed new light on the negative impact of consuming ultra-processed foods on people at such a young age. While the magnitude of the associations found may be considered to be of limited clinical significance, it is important to note that the study focused on very young children, and even so we were able to observe an association between the quality of their diet and the above-mentioned indicators. markers.
This should serve as a warning about what may happen in the future: it is important to recognize the importance of early dietary habits and their impact on cardiometabolic health.
Consumption of ultra-processed foods increases among vulnerable households
Another finding from the study is that children of mothers with lower levels of education or from lower socioeconomic backgrounds tend to consume more ultra-processed foods, making them more susceptible to health problems in adulthood.
Easily available, cheap and commercially marketed to children, these products are becoming increasingly common in modern diets. First of all, they are very popular among children and adolescents from families with fewer economic resources and lower educational levels, in which obesity is more common.
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Although our study is cross-sectional in nature and we cannot draw causal conclusions, it highlights the urgency of addressing children’s overconsumption of ultra-processed foods, developing public policies, and taking preventative measures.
Replacing these items in your shopping cart with healthier options, such as unprocessed or minimally processed foods, is essential to protecting the long-term health of future generations.