Ultra-processed foods gain space on the Brazilian table – 11/08/2023 – Equilíbrio

Fresh foods, that is, foods consumed the way they were harvested, lost space on the Brazilian table to ultra-processed foods, famous in the form of powdered juices and industrialized bread. According to researchers from the Faculty of Public Health at the University of São Paulo (USP), around 20% of the total energy consumed in 2017-2018 by Brazilians aged 10 and over came from the so-called super-industrialized groups.

The article also says that from 2008 to 2018 there was an average increase of 5.5% in the consumption of ultra-processed foods in the country. Although the research indicates that women, adolescents and white people with higher education in the South and Southeast regions are the biggest consumers of ultra-processed foods, the growth was more significant among black and indigenous people, residents of rural areas and the North and Northeast regions and in groups poorer populations with lower levels of education.

The authors, who used data from the Family Budget Surveys (POF) 2008–2009 and 2017–2018, state that children and adolescents, those who most need nutrients and identity experiences with food, are the most affected.

Sweeter than natural sugars, fattier, easier to chew and buy, both due to their price and because they do not require elaborate preparation, ultra-processed foods represent risks. The Food Guide for the Brazilian Population, from the Ministry of Health, states that these foods favor the emergence of diseases and that they harm food culture, which represents the ways of doing and eating that form the identities of a people.

A study published in the journal Diabetes Care by researchers from the USA, Holland, Canada and Brazil, however, raised the debate whether, given the scarcity of foods, all ultra-processed foods can be considered harmful.

Based on varied cohorts from the United States, the research evaluated data from 198,636 participants and found that the risk of type 2 diabetes was lower with some ultra-processed foods, such as cereals; dark, wholemeal or fruit-based breads; and yogurt and milk-based desserts.

Refined breads, sauces, condiments, artificially sweetened drinks, animal products or ready-to-eat dishes, however, are still associated with a higher risk of diabetes.

Endocrinologist Fernando Gerchman, director of the Obesity Department of the Brazilian Society of Endocrinology and Metabology (SBEM) says that the nomenclature “ultra-processed good” confuses more than it clarifies.

He assesses that not all ultra-processed foods are harmful and cites examples such as those fortified with micronutrients, those without association with trans fat or excess salt and sugar and even those produced for specific diets, such as gluten-free, consumed by those with celiac disease.

Patricia Jaime, scientific coordinator of the Center for Epidemiological Research in Nutrition and Health at USP (Nupens), however, says that in science it is necessary to take into account that an isolated study does not create a trend or a fact. “There are dozens of studies that show that ultra-processed foods are associated with a greater risk of developing diabetes.”

She states that the study in question only analyzes one disease, ignoring data on the development of other pathologies.

Ultra-processed foods, according to Nupens, are not exactly “food”, but formulations of substances derived from food, often chemically modified and for exclusively industrial use. “There are no ultra-processed foods. This is an extremely simplistic idea, generally promoted by industry representatives who, of course, profit from this sale”, says Jaime.

The researcher reinforces that these products contain little or no whole food, in addition to containing dyes, flavorings, emulsifiers and other additives to intensify the flavor, but which affect the hunger and satiety system — the consumption of ultra-processed foods is also highly associated with increased obesity and global overweight.

“They are formulated for excessive consumption, with excessive amounts of sugar, salt and fat, leading to what we call hyperpalatability — an extremely stimulating flavor, not found in natural foods. The maxim ‘it is impossible to eat just one’ goes beyond one mere slogan: it’s literal”, he says.

As for texture, ultra-processed foods tend to be soft, dissolving in the mouth and discouraging chewing, which makes the brain take longer to identify that hunger has passed.

A survey published by Nupens/USP in November 2022 showed that, in Brazil alone, around 57 thousand premature deaths (of people aged 30 to 69 years) are attributable to the consumption of ultra-processed foods. Jaime says that there are associations between the consumption of ultra-processed foods and a greater risk of developing diabetes, hypertension, cancer and depression.

For the production and consumption of ultra-processed foods, however, it seems a distant reality. According to Gerchman, the endocrinologist, there are countries in which 50% of daily intake depends on this type of food, such as England. “There would be no capacity in our food matrix to replace these foods overnight,” he says.