06/27/2024
With the consumption of overly processed foods and lack of exercise, the health of Americans is declining.
According to research published by Medical News Today, researchers found an association between ultra processed foods and all causes of mortality including: breast cancer, colorectal cancer, pancreatic cancer, poor sleep, anxiety, depression, asthma, hypertension, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, obesity, metabolic syndrome, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and hyperglycemia, among other diseases and conditions.
They reported a 50% increased risk of deaths related to cardiovascular disease, a 12% higher risk of type 2 diabetes, and a 48% to 53% higher risk of anxiety and mental disorders.
High intake of ultra-processed foods was also found to be associated with a 21% increased risk of death from any cause and a 22% increased risk of depression.
Ultra-processed foods include items such as instant noodles, chicken nuggets, hot dogs, ready-to-eat meals, sugary cereal, packaged baked goods, snacks, and soft drinks.
“These "foods" resemble nothing of its natural ingredients. An ultra-processed food has been stripped of its nutritional value (essentially). It also has many ingredients, including food additives (i.e. hydrogenated fats, modified starches) that are not used in home cooking. These foods are mainly of industrial origin and can be stored for long periods of time,” Dana Hunnes, PhD, a senior clinical dietician at the UCLA Medical Center who was not involved in the research, told Medical News Today.
Over the past 50 years, the health of Americans has gotten worse, and now 71% of Americans are overweight or obese—not 66%, which was reported 5 years ago. That means a staggering 100 million people in America are obese. Today, eating processed foods and fast foods may kill more people prematurely than cigarette smoking according to a report from the CDC.
We can help you make a change! Small healthy steps can lead to big changes for you, your family, and your health!