Ultra-processed foods account for two-thirds of children’s calories – study

Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) account for two-thirds of the daily calorie intake of British children, research suggests.

Experts found that UPFs make up a significant proportion of the diets of 11 to 18-year-olds and are eaten more by white youngsters and those from deprived backgrounds.

UPFs have been linked to poor health, such as through an increased risk of obesity and heart disease.

They often contain high levels of saturated fat, salt and sugar and additives, which experts say leaves less room in people’s diets for more nutritious foods.

Examples of UPFs include ice cream, processed meats, crisps, mass-produced bread, breakfast cereals, biscuits and fizzy drinks.

UPFs tend to include additives and ingredients that are not often used when people cook from scratch, such as preservatives, emulsifiers and artificial colours and flavours.

In the new study, from the University of Cambridge and the University of Bristol, experts looked at four-day food diaries from almost 3,000 children aged 11 to 18 in the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey between 2008/09 and 2018/19.

The study found typical UPF consumption was 861g per day, or 66% of daily energy intake.

However, the study also found that, between 2008 and 2019, UPF intake fell from 67.7% to 62.8% of total energy intake.

The researchers suggested this may be due to increased health campaigns urging people to cut down on sugar or fatty foods, and the UK Government’s sugar tax which cut the amount of sugar in drinks.

Data past 2019 was not looked at in the study.

Dr Yanaina Chavez-Ugalde, study author from the University of Cambridge, 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.”

Dr Esther van Sluijs, also from Cambridge, said: “Ultra-processed foods offer convenient and often cheaper solutions to time and income-poor families, but unfortunately many of these foods also offer poor nutritional value.

“This could be contributing to the inequalities in health we see emerging across childhood and adolescence.”

The research was published in the European Journal of Nutrition.