Ultra-processed foods make up 66% of adolescents’ daily calorie intake, new study shows

Researchers analysed data from four-day food diaries of almost 3,000 adolescents in the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey between 2008/09 and 2018/19, and found that on average 66% adolescents’ energy intake came from UPF consumption during this period.

There was a slight fall in the average from 68% to 63% between 2008/09 and 2018/2019, while parents’ occupation, ethnic group and UK region were all found to have an influence on the proportion of calorie intake from UPFs.

The studied defined UPFs as food items that are manufactured from industrial substances and contain additives such as preservatives, sweeteners, colourings, flavourings and emulsifiers. UPFs vary greatly, but tend to indicate poor dietary quality, with higher levels of added sugars, saturated fat and sodium, as well as decreased fibre, protein, and micronutrient content.

Around the world the availability and sales of UPFs have increased over time, with previous evidence suggesting that this has led to increased consumption among adolescents.

The study, which was published on 17 July in the European Journal of Nutrition, found that adolescents from disadvantaged backgrounds consumed a higher proportion of their calorie intake from UPFs compared to adolescents from less disadvantaged backgrounds (68.4% compared with 63.8%).

Meanwhile, adolescents from a non-white ethnicity consumed a lower proportion of their calorie intake from UPFs (59.0% compared with 67.3%), and adolescents living in the North of England consumed a higher proportion of their calorie intake from UPFs compared with those living in the South of England and London (67.4% compared with 64.1%).

Finally, 18-year-olds consumed a lower proportion of their calorie intake from UPFs compared with 11-year-olds (63.4% compared with 65.6%).

This study was largely funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research School for Public Health Research.

'Consumption of UPFs at a higher level than is ideal'

Commenting on the findings, Dr Yanaina Chavez-Ugalde from the Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit at the University of Cambridge, the study’s first author, said: “Adolescents’ food patterns and practices are influenced by many factors, including their home environment, the marketing they are exposed to and the influence of their friends and peers. But adolescence is also an important time in our lives where behaviours begin to become ingrained.​

“It’s clear from our findings that ultra-processed foods make up the majority of adolescents’ diets, and their consumption is at a much higher level than is ideal, given their potential negative health impacts.”​

The researchers have argued that the observed reduction in UPF intake pre-pandemic could be partly explained by an increased public awareness and health concerns associated with sugar consumption, government-led campaigns, sugar-taxes in other countries and the reformulation of sugary drinks to reduce their sugar content.

Dr Zoi Toumpakari from the Centre for Exercise, Nutrition and Health Sciences at the University of Bristol, joint senior author, added: “Our findings suggest that disparities in consumption of ultra-processed foods are not just down to individual choices. We hope this evidence can help guide policymakers in designing more effective policies to combat the negative effects of ultra-processed food consumption among youth and the ripple effects this has on public health.”​

In other news, Meatly has announced that it has received regulatory clearance to sell cultivated meat for pet food in the UK.​​