Ultra-processed food
An industrially formulated edible substance / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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An ultra-processed food (UPF) is an industrially formulated edible substance derived from natural food or synthesized from other organic compounds.[1][2] The resulting products are designed to be highly profitable, convenient, and hyperpalatable, often through food additives such as preservatives, colourings, and flavourings.[3] UPFs have often undergone processes such as moulding/extruding, hydrogenation or frying.[4]
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Ultra-processed foods first became ubiquitous in the 1980s,[5] though the term "ultra-processed food" gained prominence from a 2009 paper by Brazilian researchers as part of the Nova classification system.[6] As of 2024, research into the effects of UPFs is rapidly evolving.[7][4]
Epidemiological data suggest that consumption of ultra-processed foods is associated with higher risks of many diseases, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, asthma, specific cancers, and all-cause mortality.[8] Food addiction may also be associated with consumption of ultra-processed foods.[9] Ultra-processed foods make up a significant proportion of the diet of developed countries, varying from 10% in Romania to over 50% in the United Kingdom and the United States.[4]
Some authors have criticised the concept of "ultra-processed foods" as poorly defined, and the Nova classification system as too focused on the type rather than the amount of food consumed.[10]