Trying to keep up with what is and isn’t good for our kids is one of the many hard tasks we parents face on a daily basis, and now ultra-processed foods have made this debate even more complicated.
A kids' fruit yogurt or cereal made with brightly coloured packaging and a cute cartoon character is a good choice for children, right? Think again. Many of us are feeding our children ultra-processed foods without realising it. Ultra-processed foods have been vigorously altered during the production process. They contain multiple ingredients you’ve probably never heard of before - think E numbers, sugar, salt, and additives. This makes UPFs, taste better - even addictive - and prolongs shelf-life, making them cheaper to produce and boosting profits.
Supermarket shelves are stacked high with long-shelf life products from cereal bars to bread and biscuits. It's no wonder ultra-processed foods have been said to make up anywhere between 60-80% of an average child’s diet in the UK - they’re so hard to avoid. As we outline below, research shows they're having a huge impact on the physical and mental health of children, as well as impacting their development.
7 ways ultra-processed foods affect children
1. Weight gain, cholesterol, and obesity
Weight gain and body confidence are also being pressed with studies suggesting that a high level of ultra-processed foods in a child's diet can increase the risk of developing obesity later on down the line; “British children are consuming ‘exceptionally high’ proportions of ultra-processed foods, increasing their risk of obesity and damaging their health… Researchers found that not only do UPFs make up a considerably high proportion of children’s diets (more than 40% of intake in grams and more than 60% of calories on average), but that the higher the proportion of UPFs they consume, the greater the risk of becoming overweight or obese.” says one report by the Imperial College London.
Nutritionist Rob Hobson adds; "UPFs are usually high in calories even in small servings as they contain lots of fat and sugar. The combination of ingredients (e.g. ratio of fat to sugar) also makes them very hyper-palatable triggering the quick release of dopamine from reward centres in the brain making them very addictive which may be more of an issue in some children over others if they are more prone to addictive behaviours and overeating.
The food matrix is also altered in these foods meaning they are usually soft (also helped along by additives like emulsifiers) and very easy to eat quickly. The lack of fibre means that is not very satiating so you don’t feel very full after eating and can eat more in a sitting. They can be rapidly digested and absorbed which can lead to short-term spikes and troughs in blood sugar levels leaving you feeling hungry again shortly after eating. Hunger signals may be disrupted as the rapid consumption and assimilation of these foods bypasses hunger signals.
2. Behaviour and concentration
We know that UPFs can affects children's general behaviour and concentration - be it sugar highs and sugar crashes. Some packaging nowadays even pre-warns that consumption of that particular product can lead to changes in behaviour.
A study published by F1000Research says; "Some cross-sectional studies confirmed a relationship between school performance and dietary habits." Researchers evaluated 359,264 Korean participants aged 12 to 18 years and found that frequent intake of fresh fruits, vegetables, and milk were related to good school performance, while consuming several UPF such as soft drinks, instant noodles, and fast-food were related to poor school performance.
Researchers also evaluated 800 students from the United States, aged 11 to 13 years, and found higher academic performance level in students with lower prevalence of sweetened beverage consumption, as well as higher consumption of milk and breakfast.
3. Nutritional deficiencies
Nutritionist Robert Hobson,author of Unprocess Your Life says; "Nutritious foods that are rich in fibre, vitamins, minerals, and other plant compounds are being displaced with UPFs that are low in these nutrients. And, it's also not just about UPFs here as fussy eaters and teenagers especially girls have always been tricky to feed for lots of reasons other than just they prefer the taste or eat a high quantity of UPFs."
4. Body and brain development
The nature of processing means that brain-healthy nutrients, like vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, essential fats and fibre, are lost," says Nutritionist & Chartered Psychologist, Kimberley Wilson for BBC Science Focus.
"In order to extend shelf life and palatability of UPFs, additional sugar and fats are added, which may have negative consequences for metabolism, blood glucose control and brain health. Finally, and most importantly, the convenience of these foods means that they increasingly push more nutritious but more difficult-to-prepare foods out of our diets."
A study by Science Direct found that “frequent UPF consumption in children may also drive stunted growth”. Early exposure to ultra-processed foods is also said to “disrupt the development of a healthy relationship with food, fostering a preference for products that are typically, soft, sweet and artificially flavoured,” according to the Soil Association, which can then harm teeth health and jaw development.
5. Anxiety and depression
In 2019, The NutriNet-Santé team published research that looked for links between ultra-processed foods and depressive symptoms. The authors included data from 20,380 participants in France who they followed for an average of 5.4 years. Even after taking into account a range of factors, they concluded that consuming more ultra-processed food was linked to an increased likelihood of experiencing depressive symptoms."
There has been data to suggest a link between UPFs and anxiety disorder too. A study conducted in Brazil during the COVID-19 pandemic concluded that eating more fresh food was linked to a lower risk of depression and anxiety, whereas, high consumption of ultra-processed foods had the opposite effect on the participant's mental health.
6. Fitness and cardiovascular health
Various research also indicates a link between UPFs and cardiovascular health; "According to the larger study, a 10 per cent increase in UPF consumption in daily calorie intake was associated with a 6% increased risk of heart disease. Those with UPF making up less than 15 per cent of their diet were least at risk of any heart problems," reports the British Heart Foundation.
Dr. Sonya Babu-Narayan, Associate Medical Director of the British Heart Foundation continues; “There is increasing concern about links shown between ultra-processed foods and cardiovascular disease. The study of women in Australia showed an association between higher consumption of these foods and the development of high blood pressure.
More research is needed to better understand why these links have been found and what the mechanisms are. For example, we don’t know to what degree this is driven by artificial additives or the high levels of salt, sugar and fat that these foods tend to contain.
We do know that 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 foods often take centre stage.”
7. Long-term health issues
Alongside the short-term effects ultra-processed foods can have on your child, there are various long-term effects a high UPF diet can have for children later on in life. One study published in The BMJ examined the impact of ultra-processed foods on more than 100,000 adults over five years. The study found that those who consumed more ultra-processed foods had higher risks of coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, and cardiovascular disease leading the research to suggest an association between ultra-processed diets and heart disease.
Another study by Imperial College's School of Public Health - which was published in The Lancet medical journal concluded there may be an increased link between higher consumption of ultra-processed foods to an increased risk of developing cancer overall, specifically ovarian and brain cancers. Links to obesity, type 2 diabetes, depression, and anxiety have also been associated with ultra-processed food consumption.
Nutritionist Robert Hobson says; “Recent research has shown that high intake of UPFs has been linked to 32 health conditions that include heart disease, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer. The research is still not definitive on this and is over varying quality and strength but there is an association between high intakes and disease risk.
Why this research initially gained interest because after adjusting the findings for intakes of fat, salt, and sugar there was still a high risk of disease meaning something else was going on which could be individual additives in the food, the food matrix being altered, or a combination of things working together in the food to restful in negative health outcomes."
Various studies and research have been conducted over the years that link multiple diseases with the overconsumption or high diet of ultra-processed foods. Scientists and experts at ZOE conclude; "It’s undeniable that what you eat affects your overall health long-term, and overconsuming ultra-processed food puts you at a higher risk of disease. But there’s no need to get down on yourself for eating a frozen pizza or fast-food meal now and again."
Reducing ultra-processed foods in your child's diet
Cutting ultra-processed and processed foods from your child’s diet, especially if they already eat them, can be tough. In an ideal world, children would eat more unprocessed whole foods and fewer UPFs or processed foods, however, that isn’t always possible especially when convenient food, like readymade pizza or breakfast cereal, is made to target children and busy parents.
According to Charlotte Stirling-Reed Nutrition; “If you are able to cook from scratch and mostly avoid UPFs, and if you want to do that and enjoy doing that – that’s great. However, it’s not always the norm or realistic for many of us to be able to feed our kids home-cooked, perfectly fresh, non-processed meals every single night, and it IS ok to include processed foods in our children’s diets… They are OK to offer every now and then but try and keep them to a bit of a minimum and focus on foods which contain plenty of nutrients and some fibre for babies.”
The same applies to older children too. Instead of going cold turkey, try focusing on reducing the ultra-processed foods your child currently eats, minimising or swapping them for a less processed alternative, even if it's simply a different brand.
Learn about food labeling
Before you even consider reducing UPFs in your child’s diet, you need to understand and recognise what foods are considered ultra-processed. One of the best ways to do this is by reading food labels and packets.
Jessica Dady, Food Editor
"I’ve always been aware of processed and ultra-processed foods around me, however reading recent studies, and doing all the research to write this feature has opened my eyes to how UPFs have become a massive part of our daily lives - particularly when it comes to my children’s diets. It’s the surprising products for me like the well know brand of bread, the character-packaged cereal, and the flavoured yogurts my kids ate when they were toddlers.
To tackle UPFs in my family's diet is to focus on the importance of a balanced diet, build a better relationship with whole, unprocessed foods, and hopefully have a new appreciation for them. Ditching the chocolate and crisps certainly won’t happen overnight, but limiting them or opting for less processed alternatives by comparing food labels and ingredients will be my way forward.
UPFs are a convenience, a safety net when I've forgotten to take something out of the freezer to defrost, a 'treat' like a family takeaway once in a blue moon. It's about minimising consumption and being aware of when we're overdoing it."
According to the British Nutritional Foundation; “If a food or drink product has two or more ingredients, they must all be listed. These ingredients are listed in descending order of weight. This means the main ingredients in the packaged food will always be displayed first. This can help you to make healthier choices too, as if the first few ingredients in a food or drink product are ‘sugar’ or ‘butter’, you will know that they are the main ingredients, and is therefore a high-fat or high-sugar product.”
The key to spotting an ultra-processed food is in the ingredients. Often ingredients with five or more ingredients, ingredients you’ve never heard of before or couldn’t buy yourself in the supermarket, or ingredients with numbers and letters are UPFs. Below is a list of common additives often found in ultra-processed foods:
- Sweeteners - Aspartame (E951), Saccharin (E954), Acesulfame-K (E950)
- Preservatives - Sulphur dioxide (E220), Nitrates (E252)
- Emulsifiers - Lecithin (E322), Locust bean gum (E410)
- Colours - Sunset yellow (E110), Quinoline yellow (E104), Carmoisine (E122), Allura red (E129), Tartrazine (E102), Ponceau 4R (E124)
- Flavour enhancers - Monosodium Glutamate (MSG – E621)
- Gelling agents - Pectin (E440)
Educate yourself and your child
Once you understand what ultra-processed foods are, and once you’ve mastered the art of reading food labels (practice makes perfect) you can pass on your wisdom to your children - particularly if they are at an age where they want to make their own choices about food.
There are many resources available to parents and guardians linked to understanding and identifying ultra-processed foods that are great for educating yourself and your children; “Listen to a podcast or download an app,” says GoodtoKnow’s Editor Anna Bailey. “Apps like YUKA allow you to search for and scan products, giving them a health score and identifying additives. A great one for those unsure of reading food labels or having trouble identifying ultra-processed foods during your weekly food shop. I would highly recommend ZOE too - a platform dedicated to educating people on gut health with world-leading scientists and plenty of research into improving health with what you eat.”
We'd also recommend various books on UPFs and the impact they have on our bodies including the following:
In this feature, we’ve only touched on the can of worms that are ultra-processed foods. The main takeaway is to be aware of these foods and what makes them ultra-processed. It’s about cutting down where you can but most importantly focusing on a balanced diet ensuring plenty of natural, whole foods are favoured over UPFs - the more our diets are made up of ultra-processed foods, the lower our daily nutrient intake.
Rob Hobson is an award-winning registered nutritionist, with more than 15 years of experience. Accredited by the AFN and SENR, he also has degrees in nutrition, public health nutrition, and sports nutrition. Rob is the published author of three successful books, Unprocess Your Life, The Detox Kitchen Bible, and The Art of Sleeping. He has acted as Head of Nutrition at Healthspan since 2013.
For more on how to improve your gut health, we spoke to experts on how to quit sugar as well as finding out more about what is E171 and why it's bad for you.
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