About 2/3 of adolescents and teenagers’ dietary needs come from ultra-processed foods, according to a study published in the European Journal of Nutrition.
Ultra-processed foods are made from industrial substances and contain a high amount of preservatives, sweeteners, colourings, flavourings, and emulsifiers. These foods vary greatly, but in general terms, they have poor dietary quality, with higher levels of added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium, as well as low fibre, protein, and micronutrient content. Researchers believe these foods represent one of the key drivers of the global rise in diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cancer.
A team from the Universities of Cambridge and Bristol, UK, found that consumption of these foods was highest among adolescents from deprived backgrounds, those of white ethnicity, and younger adolescents.
Globally, these foods’ availability has increased, leading to an increase in consumption among adolescents. To look at trends within the UK, researchers analysed data from four-day food diaries of almost 3,000 adolescents in the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey between 2008/09 and 2018/19. The results show that 66% of adolescents’ energy comes from processed foods, though there was a slight fall from 68% to 63% between 2008/09 and 2018/2019.
The main factors that affected the adolescents’ diet included their parents’ occupation, ethnic group, and UK region.
· Adolescents from disadvantaged backgrounds ate more calories from processed foods compared to adolescents from less disadvantaged backgrounds
· Adolescents from a white ethnic background consumed more processed foods than adolescents from other backgrounds
- Adolescents from the North of England consumed a higher proportion of their calorie intake from processed foods compared with those living in the South of England
- 11-year-olds consumed more calories from processed foods compared with 18-year-olds
“Adolescents’ food patterns and practices are influenced by many factors, including their home environment, the marketing they are exposed to, and the influence of their friends and peers. But adolescence is also an important time in our lives where behaviours begin to become ingrained,” said Dr Yanaina Chavez-Ugalde from the Medical Research Council (MRC) Epidemiology Unit at the University of Cambridge. “It’s clear from our findings that ultra-processed foods make up the majority of adolescents’ diets, and their consumption is at a much higher level than is ideal, given their potential negative health impacts.”
“Ultra-processed foods offer convenient and often cheaper solutions to time- and income-poor families, but unfortunately, many of these foods also offer poor nutritional value. This could be contributing to the inequalities in health we see emerging across childhood and adolescence,” added Dr. Esther van Sluijs from the MRC Epidemiology Unit at Cambridge.
“Our findings suggest that disparities in consumption of ultra-processed foods are not just down to individual choices. We hope this evidence can help guide policymakers in designing more effective policies to combat the negative effects of ultra-processed food consumption among youth and the ripple effects this has on public health,” concluded Dr Zoi Toumpakari from the Centre for Exercise, Nutrition and Health Sciences at the University of Bristol.
Chavez-Ugalde, Y et al. Ultra-processed food consumption in UK adolescents: distribution, trends, and sociodemographic correlates using the National Diet and Nutrition Survey 2008/09 to 2018/19. Eur J Nutr; 17 Jul 2024; DOI: 10.1007/s00394-024-03458-z