NEW YORK, May 26 — Ultra-processed foods such as sodas, chicken nuggets and instant noodles have been a focus of scientific concern for several years. Now, researchers in Spain have found that consumption of ultra-processed foods during childhood is associated with worse cardiometabolic health (diabetes, hypertension, abdominal obesity).
With their time savings, affordable prices, and immediate availability, ultra-processed foods can have plenty of benefits in the eyes of many parents. But what are the health risks for children, especially when these foods, rich in saturated fat, sugar, and salt, are consumed during the first years of life? This is the question that a team of researchers from the Human Nutrition Unit at Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV) in Tarragona, Spain, set out to answer.
To do so, they sought to assess the impact of ultra-processed foods on the health of around 1,500 girls and boys aged 3 to 6 from seven Spanish cities, including Córdoba, Barcelona, Valencia, and Zaragoza. For the study, carried out in collaboration with the Pere Virgili Health Research Institute (IISPV) and the Biomedical Research Networking Centre, the researchers examined data on participants’ consumption of ultra-processed foods along with various measurements such as body mass index, fat mass index, waist circumference, blood pressure, and cholesterol.
Published in the journal, JAMA Network Open, this research suggests an association between the consumption of ultra-processed foods in childhood and a deterioration in cardiometabolic health. In detail, the scientists explain that children who consumed more of this type of food had the highest scores in terms of body mass index, waist circumference, body fat index, and blood sugar levels. On the other hand, they had the lowest levels of HDL cholesterol in the blood, ie, good cholesterol.
In view of these findings, the scientists highlight the urgency of addressing the problem of the overconsumption of these foods by children, and call for public policies to prevent the risks associated with such diets. Our findings give cause for concern. Although the magnitude of the associations we found could be thought to be of limited clinical importance, … there was a significant relationship between their consumption and these parameters, says Nancy Babio, principal research of the study. She adds: It is essential to recognize the importance of early eating habits and their future implications on cardiometabolic health.
The researchers go even further, suggesting that priority should be given to targeting the most vulnerable populations, as the study revealed that children of mothers with a lower level of education or a lower socio-economic profile generally consumed more ultra-processed foods, making them more susceptible to health problems.
This is not the first time these foods have been singled out by scientists. Early in May, research conducted on over 100,000 people revealed that these ultra-processed foods could increase the risk of premature death. Earlier research has suggested an increased risk of cancer, heart disease, and even depression symptoms.
