The Problem With Ultra-Processed Food

The average Australian consumes more than 40% of their total energy intake from ultra-processed foods, and 60% of packaged foods in our supermarkets are considered ultra-processed. What exactly are these foods and what impact do they have on our health and weight? DL dietitian Dr Kate Marsh explains

- Dr Kate Marsh

What are they?

Processing of food isn’t a problem in itself. In fact, most of the foods we eat are processed in some way before we eat them. Techniques such as heating, pasteurising, canning and drying are all forms of processing, which can help to make foods safe, edible and more suitable for storage. Examples include canned legumes, frozen vegetables, pasteurised milk, canned fish and even freshly made bread.

But the ultra-processing of food is different. Ultra-processed foods are defined as formulations of food substances (ingredients you wouldn’t typically find in your home kitchen), often combined with additives designed to make the food palatable, and typically created by a series of industrial techniques and processes. They are designed to be convenient, hyper-palatable and highly profitable due to their low-cost ingredients and long shelf life.

What is the impact of ultra-processed foods on our health?

The research is clear – higher intakes of ultra-processed foods have been associated with an increased risk of:

• type 2 diabetes

• cardiovascular disease (both heart disease and stroke)

• dying from cardiovascular disease

• cancer, including breast cancer

• depression

• frailty

• irritable bowel syndrome

• asthma in children and adolescents

• cardiovascular risk factors in children and adolescents

• dying from all causes

On the other hand, diets high in unprocessed or minimally processed foods have been associated with several health benefits.