Washington, Aug 7 (AP) — A recent federal report reveals that over half of the calories consumed by most Americans come from ultraprocessed foods. These foods are typically packed with sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats, contributing to their super-tasty and energy-dense nature.
Nutrition studies have long indicated that ultraprocessed foods are a major component of the American diet, particularly among children and teenagers. However, for the first time, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has solidified these findings with data collected from August 2021 to August 2023.
The release of this report comes at a time when Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is increasing scrutiny of such foods, blaming them for the rise in chronic diseases. “We are poisoning ourselves, and it’s coming principally from these ultraprocessed foods,” Kennedy stated in an interview with Fox News earlier this year.
According to the report, approximately 55% of the total calorie intake of Americans aged 1 and older during the specified period came from ultraprocessed foods. This figure was slightly lower for adults, standing at about 53%, while it rose to nearly 62% for children up to age 18.
The primary sources of these foods include burgers, sandwiches, sweet baked goods, savory snacks, pizza, and sweetened beverages.
The report also indicates that younger children consume fewer calories from ultraprocessed foods compared to older kids, while adults aged 60 and older consume less of these foods than younger adults. The consumption was higher among low-income adults compared to their higher-income counterparts.
Anne Williams, a CDC nutrition expert and co-author of the report, noted that the findings were not unexpected. However, she was surprised to observe a slight decline in the consumption of ultraprocessed foods over the last decade. Among adults, the calories from these foods dropped from about 56% in 2013-2014, and among children, they decreased from nearly 66% in 2017-2018.
Williams refrained from speculating on the reasons behind the decline or whether there was an increase in the consumption of less processed foods. Andrea Deierlein, a nutrition expert at New York University, who was not involved in the research, suggested that heightened awareness of the detrimental effects of ultraprocessed foods could be influencing some populations to reduce their intake.
Though concerns over the health impacts of ultraprocessed foods have been rising, finding effective solutions has proved challenging. Numerous studies have linked these foods to conditions such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease, but they have not been able to definitively prove that ultraprocessed foods directly cause these chronic health issues.
One significant study showed that people consumed more calories and gained more weight when they ate ultraprocessed foods than when they consumed minimally processed foods, even when the diets were matched for calories, sugar, fat, fiber, and micronutrients.
Recent research published in Nature further emphasized this point, demonstrating that participants in a clinical trial lost twice as much weight on minimally processed diets — including foods like pasta, chicken, fruits, and vegetables — compared to ultraprocessed diets, even those considered nutritionally equivalent, such as ready-to-heat frozen meals and protein bars.
A key issue is defining what constitutes ultraprocessed foods. The CDC report relies on the Nova system, developed by Brazilian researchers, which classifies foods by their level of processing. Ultraprecessed products are identified as “hyperpalatable, energy-dense, low in dietary fiber, and contain little or no whole foods, along with high amounts of salt, sweeteners, and unhealthy fats.”
US health authorities have raised questions about whether current definitions effectively encompass the variety of foods that may affect health. Recently, the US Food and Drug Administration, along with the Department of Agriculture, issued a call for information to help create a standardized definition of ultraprocessed foods within the US food supply.
In the interim, Andrea Deierlein advises Americans to reduce ultraprocessed foods in their diets. She suggests choosing less processed alternatives, such as plain oats sweetened with honey or maple syrup over instant oatmeal with added sugars and preservatives. Reading food labels and nutrition information is crucial.
“I believe that there are less-processed options available for many foods,” she emphasized.
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