A World Health Organization (WHO) report has determined that certain ultra-processed foods (UPFs) can be beneficial for individuals’ well-being.
The Consumption of Ultra-Processed Foods and Risk of Multimorbidity of Cancer and Cardiometabolic Diseases report, produced by the WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer and the University of Vienna, has suggested that processed foods such as bread and cereal reduce the risk of multiple long-term conditions – multimorbidity – due to their fibre content.
UPFs have garnered extensive criticism due to their associations with obesity, heightening the likelihood of heart disease and diabetes.
In a recent statement, Filippa Debentencourt-Juul, a post-doctoral fellow appointed by the provost at New York University, shared findings from various studies on UPFs. She revealed, “I discovered a notable correlation between the proportion of processed foods in the diet and the prevalence of overweight and obesity, abdominal obesity, as well as elevated BMI and waist circumference.”
The WHO study, which involved over 266,000 participants across seven European countries, highlighted that consistent consumption of items like sausages and sugary drinks increases the likelihood of weight gain. However, it emphasized the significance of avoiding a blanket condemnation of all ultra-processed foods.
It said, “Among UPF sub-groups, associations [with health issues] were most notable for animal-based products and artificially and sugar-sweetened beverages. Other sub-groups, such as ultra-processed breads and cereals and plant-based alternatives, were not associated with risk.”
Nevertheless, the authors were cautious in emphasizing the overall harm that UPFs can inflict.
“In this multinational European prospective cohort study, we found that higher consumption of UPFs was associated with a higher risk of multimorbidity of cancer and cardiometabolic diseases,” the report said.
Highlighting the scale of UPF consumption, the report said, “The availability and consumption of ultra-processed foods has increased worldwide and represents nowadays 50–60% of the daily energy intake in some high-income countries and middle-income and low-income countries are following suit.
“Fresh or minimally processed foods are being increasingly replaced by higher proportions of UPFs in the diet, raising concerns about their long-term health effects.”
The report defines UPFs as products manufactured industrially, consisting of deconstructed and modified food components reassembled with various additives. Typically, UPFs include mass-produced packaged breakfast cereals, biscuits, reconstituted meat products, instant noodles, as well as soft and/or sweetened carbonated drinks.
The research findings were released in the medical journal, The Lancet.
