Focusing solely on ultra-processed foods misses important dietary advice

Sir Jim Mann, EDOR Co-Director and Professor of Medicine and Human Nutrition, was interviewed by journalist Ryan Bridge for Herald NOW about some recent Lancet publications on ultra-processed foods.

The Lancet articles reviewed evidence that ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are displacing fresh and minimally processed foods and meals, worsening diet quality, and are associated with an increased risk of multiple chronic diseases.

Ultra-processed foods are defined based on the presence and purpose of industrial additives and processes. Many ultra-processed foods are typical ‘junk food’ items such as potato chips, biscuits, soft drinks, and sweets.

However some food products, including yoghurts and mass-produced packaged bread, are classified as ultra-processed, even though they are often relatively low in fat, sugar, and energy. In addition, wholegrain bread is high in fibre which has an important role in preventing disease.

Professor Mann acknowledged the health risk of increased ultra-processed food consumption, but questioned having a sole focus on reducing ultra-processed foods when some minimally processed foods are also associated with an increased risk of disease:

"For instance, if you have too much meat or too much butter, they're not ultra-processed foods."

"A high intake of red meat is associated with certain common cancers, and too much saturated fat, which you find in butter, is associated with heart disease," says Professor Mann.

"So I think we've got to be careful about over-emphasizing the concept of ultra-processed."

Any approach to reducing unhealthy food consumption should include things like limiting junk food advertising to children, a levy on products high in sugar, and bringing back successful community programmes that encouraged healthy eating, says Mann. These measures all require government action but have shown good results in other countries.