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Ultra-processed foods and added sugars in the US diet: Evidence from a nationally representative cross-sectional study
Ultra-processed foods are formulations that include industrial components which simulate the sensory properties of minimally processed foods or their culinary preparation methods. In this cross-sectional study by Martínez Steele et al. (2016), the authors explored the degree of ultra-processed foods that contribute to the dietary intake of added sugars in the USA. Using information from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2009-2010, the 24h dietary recall data of 9,317 participants (1+ years of age) was evaluated for the contribution of added sugars to overall diet, and the percentage of participants consuming over 10% of their total energy from added sugars was additionally noted, in addition to accounting for participants’ age, race/ethnicity, sex, education, and income. The results revealed that 57.9% of participants’ energy intake was composed of ultra-processed foods, 89.7% of which were from added sugars. Ultra-processed foods were found to contain eight times more added sugars than processed foods, and five times the added sugar content of unprocessed, minimally processed foods and processed culinary ingredients combined. In addition, a relationship was discovered between added sugars and ultra-processed food intake, where a rise in consuming added sugars was linked to an increase in ultra-processed foods consumption (from 7.5% of total energy consumption in the lowest quintile of participants to 19.5% in the highest). Finally, it was demonstrated that 82.1% of participants in the highest quintile of ultra-processed food consumption surpassed the recommended limit of 10% total energy intake from added sugars, compared to 26.4% in the lowest quartile. The authors conclude that targeting a reduction of ultra-processed food intake presents a potential intervention method to help decrease added sugar consumption in the USA. [NPID: NHANES, US, added sugars, dietary intake, ultra-processed]
Year: 2016
