In the mid-1990s, Carlos Monteiro, a nutritional epidemiologist in Brazil, noticed a troubling trend: Obesity rates among children in his country were on the rise. Determined to understand why, Monteiro and his team at the University of São Paulo delved into data on the purchasing habits of Brazilian households.
Their findings were stark: People were buying fewer traditional staples like sugar, salt, cooking oils, and basic grains such as rice and beans. Instead, they were opting for more processed fare like sodas, packaged breads, instant noodles, and sugary snacks.
To categorize this shift, Monteiro and his colleagues coined a new term: ultraprocessed foods, or UPFs. These foods were identified as a significant contributor to weight gain among both children and adults in Brazil.
Since then, research has linked UPFs to a host of health issues, including heart disease, diabetes, obesity, gastrointestinal problems, depression, and even premature death. The prevalence of these foods in diets worldwide is a cause for concern, with UPFs making up a staggering 67 percent of the calorie intake among American children and teenagers.
But what exactly are ultraprocessed foods, and how solid is the evidence of their harm? Experts are still grappling with these questions. To aid in their research, Monteiro and his team developed the Nova system, which categorizes foods into four groups:
1. Unprocessed or minimally processed foods, like fresh fruits and vegetables, meats, dairy, grains, and basic cooking ingredients.
2. Processed culinary ingredients, such as oils, sugar, and salt.
3. Processed foods, which combine items from the first two categories using methods like canning or baking.
4. Ultraprocessed foods, characterized by their industrial production methods and inclusion of additives like preservatives, flavorings, and artificial colors. These are often found in items like soft drinks, chips, candies, and packaged snacks.
According to Brenda Davy, a nutrition professor at Virginia Tech, a telltale sign of an ultraprocessed food is an ingredient list containing items rarely used in home cooking.
The rise of ultraprocessed foods represents a significant challenge to public health, highlighting the urgent need for further research and awareness about their potential risks.
