Sugary drinks and dairy products are on the list! "BMJ" confirms: Regular consumption of "ultra-processed foods" may increase the risk of premature death
“Ultra-processed foods” are considered to be one of the culprits in declining health due to their high calories and low nutritional content. Previous literature has confirmed their association with risks such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, or diabetes. Now, a study published in the authoritative journal “British Medical Journal” (BMJ) warns that long-term consumption of excessive amounts of ultra-processed foods may reduce life expectancy and increase the risk of premature death.
Sugary drinks and dairy products are on the list! Study: Frequent consumption of “ultra-processed foods” increases risk of premature death
A joint research team from the United States, China, the Netherlands, Brazil and other countries collected health data from 74,563 women and 39,501 men from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), and continued to use dietary questionnaires every four years. Track the subjects’ diet. The research team divided the subjects’ diet into unprocessed or minimally processed foods, processed cooking ingredients, processed foods and ultra-processed foods according to the “NOVA Diet Classification”.
Among them, ultra-processed foods are further divided into nine categories: ultra-processed breads and breakfast foods; fats, condiments and sauces; packaged desserts and desserts; beverages with added sugar or artificial sweeteners; as-served/as-heated Mixed foods; meat/poultry/seafood ready-to-eat products (e.g. processed meats); packaged savory snacks; dairy desserts, and other ultra-processed foods.
After 34 years of long-term follow-up, a total of 48,193 subjects died. Statistical results showed that compared with subjects who ate the least amount (3 servings) of ultra-processed foods per day, those who ate the most (7 servings) of ultra-processed foods had a 4% higher overall risk of death; in addition to cancer and cardiovascular disease The risk of death from other causes was 9% higher, and the risk of death from neurodegeneration was 8% higher.
Ultra-processed food is the most harmful thing that affects the respiratory system and causes neurodegenerative diseases.
If we look at the nine categories of ultra-processed foods, meat/poultry/seafood-based ready-to-eat products have the strongest correlation with higher all-cause mortality and mortality from other causes. In addition, beverages with added sugar or artificial sweeteners (sugar-sweetened beverages are more risky), other ultra-processed foods (consisting mostly of artificial sweeteners), dairy desserts, and ultra-processed breakfast foods that do not contain whole grains are also associated with associated with a higher risk of all-cause mortality.
Although the research team did not find an association between ultra-processed foods and cancer or cardiovascular-related mortality, the intake of ultra-processed foods is related to death outcomes from neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia. Dairy desserts, such as sorbet and frozen yogurt, were most strongly associated with brain-related mortality. In addition, eating large amounts of ultra-processed foods may also increase the risk of death from respiratory diseases.
Study author Fang Zhe pointed out that subjects with a higher intake of ultra-processed foods tended to consume less fruits, vegetables and whole grains in their lives; they were more likely to smoke, lack exercise, and have a lower body mass index (BMI). High vices. This study also introduced the “Alternative Healthy Eating Index” (AHEI) to evaluate the subjects’ diet quality, and found that those who consumed more ultra-processed foods had lower AHEI scores.
Eating ultra-processed foods can cause eyebrows to grow! Make good use of “food substitution” to reduce harmful risks
Based on the above, although ultra-processed foods may reduce life expectancy, most people will eat ultra-processed foods to some extent, such as common instant noodles and dried fruits. The most important thing is whether the “eating method” is combined with other healthy methods Come reduce your risk! Nutritionist Jian Yuhua once said in an interview that taking “instant noodles”, which are generally considered unhealthy by the public, as an example, it can be paired with vegetables and meat to increase the intake of fiber and polyphenols and help the body excrete harmful ingredients.
Making good use of food substitutions is also a way to reduce the risk of processed additives. For example, nutritionist Jian Yuhua said that when eating ham omelettes, you can replace the ham with similar foods such as pork chops or eggs. If you want to eat sweet soup, you can boil mung beans, peanuts, and barley instead of canned sweet soup. Or use supermarket fruits or bananas instead of packaged dried fruits.
Nutritionist Jian Yuhua reminds that the quality of food sources is a relative comparison, and you should try to choose as little processed food as possible within the controllable range. In particular, long-term intake of processed foods or ultra-processed foods may cause cumulative damage to the intestines and increase the risk of polyps and lesions. For those who like to eat ultra-processed foods, it is recommended to start by reducing their intake, which is good for both body shape and health.
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