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Dream Journal

The Health Costs of Processed Food

Updated: Jul 19

Hannah Firment



Food availability and quality is a topic that impacts us all and is heavily impacted

by current socioeconomic and geographic barriers to fresh food. Facing this modern

dilemma, Melissa Lane et al dive into an umbrella review of health outcomes associated with

processed food in their article, “Ultra-processed food exposure and adverse health outcomes:

umbrella review of epidemiological meta-analyses”. The ultra-processed foods discussed in

this article are defined by the Nova food classification system as foods that are

“formulated mostly or entirely from substances extracted from foods or derived from food

constituents...by use of many types of additive” [1]. These foods would

include things like potato chips, instant soups, cereals, and carbonated drinks.

This study found direct associations between these ultra-processed foods and 32 different health parameters. These factors included mortality, cancer, and mental, respiratory,

cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and metabolic adverse health outcomes [2]. The

strongest associations supported correlations with cardiovascular disease-related mortality,

type 2 diabetes, anxiety outcomes, and combined common mental disorder outcomes. This

suggests a widespread source of health inequality between communities with different access

to fresh food. The findings of this study suggest a need for public health initiatives to reduce

the production of ultra-processed foods in order to reduce these adverse health outcomes as

well as additional research into these effects. This also gives us a greater reason to eliminate

food deserts where access to fresh food is limited and unaffordable.


References:

  1. Monteiro C, Cannon G, Lawrence M, Louzada ML, Machado P. FAO. Ultra-processed foods, diet quality, and health using the NOVA classification system. Published online August 1, 2019.

  2. Lane MM, Gamage E, Du S, Ashtree DN, McGuinness AJ, Gauci S, Baker P, Lawrence M, Rebholz CM, Srour B, Touvier M, Jacka FN, O'Neil A, Segasby T, Marx W. Ultra-processed food exposure and adverse health outcomes: umbrella review of epidemiological meta-analyses. BMJ. 2024 Feb 28;384:e077310. doi:10.1136/bmj-2023-077310.

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