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Ultra-processed food and adverse health outcomes

BMJ 2019; 365 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.l2289 (Published 29 May 2019) Cite this as: BMJ 2019;365:l2289

Linked Research

Ultra-processed food intake and risk of cardiovascular disease

Linked Research

Association between consumption of ultra-processed foods and all cause mortality

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Re: Ultra-processed food and adverse health outcomes

Dear Editor
The health risks related to ingestion of ultraprocessed foods are both short and long term and infants and children should be protected from these through avoiding or minimising their exposure to both advertising and the inclusion of UPFs in school meals. The childhood obestiy epidemic has failed to respond to public health interventions to date but adding the ultrapocessed content of food products rather than simply calorie and basic nutritional content could be a useful first step. Adapting the same for 'out of home' meals would have no negative impact for those with eating disorders in contrast to the recent requirement for caolorie counts.

Competing interests: No competing interests

30 July 2022
U. M. MacFadyen
Retired Paediatrician
NHS
NHS Forth Valley
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