Britain faces a ‘tidal wave of damage’ as ultra-processed foods including sliced bread, cereals and ready meals put millions of people at risk of heart attacks and strokes
Britain is facing a ‘tidal wave of damage’ from ultra-processed foods, putting millions of people at risk of heart problems, groundbreaking research has found.
People who eat the most mass-produced foods are 24 percent more likely to have a heart attack or stroke, new statistics show.
And they’re also 39 percent more likely to develop high blood pressure, a separate study found.
Ultra-processed foods make up 57 percent of the national diet, making Britain the worst consumer in Europe.
Comparing it to tobacco, campaigners said the study provided the strongest evidence yet that eating too many ultra-processed foods — such as sliced bread, cereals and ready meals — is deadly.
Britain is facing a ‘tidal wave of damage’ from ultra-processed foods, putting millions of people at risk of heart problems, groundbreaking research has found. File image
People who eat the most mass-produced foods are 24 percent more likely to have a heart attack or stroke, new statistics show. File image
Even foods marketed as “healthy” options, such as fruit or protein bars and low-fat yogurt, are likely to be detrimental to heart health.
Experts called for stricter regulations on manufacturers, including warning labels on packages and a ban on marketing foods to people who are “actively killing the products.” They said the findings, to be presented at the world’s largest cardiology conference, should serve as a “wake-up call” that British food culture needs to change.
Former government food adviser and co-founder of the Leon restaurant chain, Henry Dimbleby, said: ‘Britain is particularly bad when it comes to ultra-processed food. It saves problems for the future. If we do nothing, a tidal wave of damage will hit the NHS.’
Ultra-processed foods are foods that differ significantly from their original state because they have undergone multiple processes during production.
They are often high in salt and sugar and may contain additives and preservatives.
The foods are often low in fiber and lack the nutrients of fresh products, such as fresh fruit and vegetables and homemade bread.
Previous studies have linked eating high levels of ultra-processed foods to a range of health problems, including obesity, type 2 diabetes and cancer.
But the new research shows that even when they cut out sugar, salt and fat, these foods remain unhealthy — suggesting that “ultra-processing itself is the biggest problem.”
An analysis of ten studies of more than 325,000 people found that those who ate the most of such products were 24 percent more likely to have a heart attack or stroke.
Increasing the proportion of ultra-processed foods in a person’s daily caloric intake by 10 percent was associated with a 6 percent increased risk of heart disease, according to research from China’s Fourth Military Medical University.
Meanwhile, a 15-year Australian study found that women who ate more ultra-processed foods had a significantly higher risk of developing high blood pressure than women who ate less in their diets. Experts warned that the risk could be significantly higher for women in Britain because the typical British diet contains a third more ultra-processed foods than the highest intake in the Australian study.
Ultra-processed foods are foods that differ significantly from their original state because they have undergone multiple processes during production. File image
Lead author Anushriya Pant of the University of Sydney told reporters at the European Society of Cardiology Congress in Amsterdam, where the study was presented: ‘Compared to minimally processed foods, ultra-processed foods tend to have less fibre. rich in salt and sugars, and all these factors are known to be anti-cardioprotective. The more you process food, the less nutrients you retain.
“For example, many foods in the health department of the supermarket that are advertised as ‘healthy’ because they are low in calories, when we look at the sodium (salt) content, it is too high…
“We know that high salt levels equate to high blood pressure. It could be that foods that you think are healthy actually contribute to the development of high blood pressure.’
Dr. Chris van Tulleken, whose book Ultra-Processed People recently appeared in the Daily Mail, said those who produce ultra-processed foods should be seen in the same light as tobacco companies. He called for warning labels on packages to replace the “confusing and optional traffic light system.”
He said: ‘There is now significant evidence that these products inflame the gut, interfere with appetite regulation, alter hormone levels and cause a myriad of other effects that likely increase the risk of heart and other diseases in much the same way that smoking does.
“We urgently need to advise people to reduce consumption of ultra-processed foods in our national dietary guidelines.”
“Like tobacco, we should consider the money from ultra-processed food companies dirty.”
Dr. Sonya Babu-Narayan, an associate professor at the British Heart Foundation, said there was “growing concern” about the links between ultra-processed foods and cardiovascular disease.
She said: ‘The world around us doesn’t always make it easy for the healthy option to be the accessible and affordable option.
‘On the contrary, less healthy food is often central.
“To address this, we need a comprehensive strategy that creates an environment that can support people to live long and healthy lives.”
A spokesman for the Ministry of Health and Social Care said: “We have introduced legislation to restrict the placement and promotion of certain products in supermarkets to discourage unhealthy food choices.”