A study led by the American Journal of Preventive Medicine has suggested 17,781 premature deaths in the UK could have been linked to ultra-processed foods in previous years
Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) have been linked with premature death, according to a new study.
The American Journal of Preventative Medicine has evaluated data from eight countries around the world, suggesting ultra-processed foods many Brits regularly consume amount to 53 per cent of people’s energy intake in the UK, which was the second highest in the study after a figure of 55 per cent in the US.
Many may be eating a high quantity of UPFs without realising, with kitchen staples such as crisps, crackers and even some cereals classed in the category.
And in the 2018-19 year, the study has suggested 17,781 early deaths in the UK could have been linked to UPFs.
According to the mathematical model used by researchers Premature deaths attributable to UPFs ranged from 4 per cent of early deaths in areas of lower UPF consumption, such as Colombia, to 14 per cent of premature deaths in the UK and US.
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A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson told Metro: "This government is committed to tackling poor diets and the obesity crisis to protect future generations.
"We have already taken action to end the targeting of junk food adverts to children, across TV and online and we have handed local authorities stronger powers to block applications for new takeaways near schools.
"We are also commissioning research to improve the evidence on the health impacts of ultra processed foods.
"Through our Plan for Change, we will shift the focus from sickness to prevention, reducing the burden of obesity on public services and the NHS."
Ultra-processed foods typically have more than one ingredient that you would never or rarely find in a kitchen, which may also include additives or other elements you would not usually find in a cooking environment in the home, according to the British Heart Foundation.
The charity said: "Ultra-processed foods typically have more than one ingredient that you never or rarely find in a kitchen.
"They also tend to include many additives and ingredients that are not typically used in home cooking, such as preservatives, emulsifiers, sweeteners, and artificial colours and flavours. These foods generally have a long shelf life."
The British Heart Foundation stated there were four food categories which measure up how much an item has been processed during production.
The NOVA food classification system, which was developed by researchers at the University of São Paulo, Brazil, includes three other food tiers besides just the ultra-processed food category.
Its categories are comprised of:
Unprocessed or minimally processed foods: This includes produce such as fruit, vegetables, milk, fish, pulses, eggs, nuts and seeds that have no added ingredients and have been little altered from their natural state.
Processed ingredients: This includes foods that are added to other foods rather than eaten by themselves, such as salt, sugar and oils.
Processed foods: These are foods that are made by combining foods from groups one and two, which are altered in a way that home cooks could do themselves. They include foods such as jam, pickles, tinned fruit and vegetables, homemade breads and cheeses.
Hannah Ahmed