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Ultra-processed foods account for 57% of UK adults daily energy intake, with an even higher proportion seen in adolescents (66%)¹.

In a world where convenience often reigns supreme, these seemingly innocent items line our supermarket shelves, promising quick meals and snacks to fit our fast-paced lives. Consequently, it’s easy to fall into the trap of ultra-processed foods.

So what exactly are ultra-processed foods and what impact do they have on our health?

Defining the Culprit: What Are Ultra-Processed Foods?

Ultra-processed foods are products that have undergone extensive processing, often containing additives, preservatives, and other artificial ingredients. Ultra-processed foods (UPF) are energy-dense, nutritionally unbalanced products, low in fibre but high in unhealthy saturated fats, salt, and sugar².

In truth, manufacturers produce irresistibly tasty products that can last for ages on the shelf because it is highly profitable. Not for the benefit of our health.

These items are typically presented in eye catching packaging and aggressively promoted. Think, fruit flavoured drinks, energy drinks, sausages, biscuits, tempting snacks, sweets, cereals, protein bars, fizzy drinks, ready meals and fast food as well as frozen or long-lasting dishes, and quick-to-prepare soups and noodles, to name a few.

The Sneaky Side Effects: Unveiling the Risks

While ultra-processed foods offer convenience, they also come with a hefty price tag for your health. Here are some of the sneakiest side effects they bring to the table:

Nutrient Stripping:

Research highlights that processing can lead to significant losses in vitamins, minerals, and fibre³. That’s because ultra-processing often strips away essential nutrients, leaving behind empty calories devoid of any real nutritional value.

For instance, the industrial processing of the wheat used in bread strips out almost all the vitamin E. Likewise, processing also strips out other vitamins and minerals. The law in the UK requires only a handful of vitamins and minerals to be added back.

Weight Woes:

With their high calorie counts and low satiety levels, it’s surprisingly easy to overindulge without even realising it. In fact a 2019 systematic review and meta-analysis concluded that consumption of ultra-processed foods is associated with weight gain and obesity⁴.

A more recent systematic review published in May 2023 also found that evidence supports the existence of a relationship between UPF consumption and the incidence of obesity⁵.

Gut Health Gambit:

Your gut microbiome is a delicate ecosystem, and ultra-processed foods can throw it out of balance. That’s because these products lack the fibre and nutrients needed to support a healthy gut, leading to digestive issues and inflammation. Moreover, research suggests that a diet high in ultra-processed foods alters gut microbiota composition, which may have negative implications for health⁶.

Long term Health Hazards:

Consistently indulging in ultra-processed foods can increase your risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers. As demonstrated by a 2019 study published in the British Medical Journal⁷. The largest ever review of its kind involving almost 10 million people highlights the need to reduce the consumption of ultra-processed foods. It states “Greater exposure to ultra-processed food was associated with a higher risk of adverse health outcomes, especially cardiometabolic^*, common mental disorders and mortality outcomes“⁸.

* Cardiometabolic diseases are a group of common but often preventable conditions. These include heart attack, stroke, diabetes, insulin resistance and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Spotting the Culprit: how to identify Ultra-processed foods

A practical way to identify an ultra-processed product is to check the list of ingredients. Ultra-processed food contains substances never or rarely used in kitchens.

By way of a simple example, bread should have only 4 ingredients: flour, salt, yeast and water. However, as you can see from the images below there are far more ingredients in ultra-processed bread:

Warburton 50:50 ingredients how many ingredients are used to make ultra-processed bread — Warburton 50:50 medium sliced loaf ingredients

M&S Wheat & White bread ingredients list showing how many ingredients are used to make ultra-processed bread — M&S Wheat & White medium sliced loaf ingredients

Did you notice the ingredients never or rarely used in kitchens?

Taking Back Control: How to Ditch the Junk

Fear not, for all hope is not lost! Because with a few simple swaps and strategies, you can kick those ultra-processed foods and reclaim your health:

Embrace Whole Foods: These nutrient-rich options will nourish your body from the inside out. So, fill your plate with whole, minimally processed foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins.

Read Labels Wisely: Before tossing an item into your shopping cart, take a moment to scan the ingredient list. Remember, if it reads like a chemistry experiment, leave it on the shelf.

Get Cooking: There’s nothing quite like a home-cooked meal made with love and wholesome ingredients. So dust off your apron and experiment with new recipes – your taste buds and your body will thank you.

Practice Mindful Eating: By tuning into your body’s needs, you’ll be less likely to overindulge in processed junk. So slow down and savour each bite, paying attention to hunger and fullness cues.

Stay Informed: Arm yourself with knowledge about the dangers of ultra-processed foods and the benefits of a balanced diet. Without a doubt, the more you know, the better equipped you’ll be to make healthy choices.

In a world inundated with ultra-processed options, it’s more important than ever to prioritise whole, nourishing foods. By making simple yet impactful changes to your diet, you can safeguard your health and vitality for years to come.

So go ahead, take the first step on the path to wellness – your body will thank you for it.

If you would like to learn more

Check out the links to scientific papers provided in the sources section below.

To learn how we can help you check out our 1-to-1 Wellbeing Coaching page to see how we can help you make lifestyle changes to support your health

Sources:

1. “Ultra-processed food consumption in UK adolescents: distribution, trends, and sociodemographic correlates using the National Diet and Nutrition Survey 2008/09 to 2018/19“, Chaves-Ugalde et al, June 2023

2. “Ultra-processed foods: what they are and how to identify them.“, Monteiro et al, February 2019.

3. “Food Classification Systems Based on Food Processing: Significance and Implications for Policies and Actions: A Systematic Literature Review and Assessment.“, Moubarac et al, June 2014

4. “Ultra-processed diets cause excess calorie intake and weight gain: An inpatient randomised controlled trial of ad libitum food intake.“, Hall et al, May 2016

5. “Ultra-Processed Food Consumption and Incidence of Obesity and Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Adults: A Systematic Review of Prospective Studies“, Mambrini et al, May 2023

6. “The Western Diet–Microbiome-Host Interaction and Its Role in Metabolic Disease. “, Zinöcker & Lindseth, March 2018

7. “Ultra-processed food intake and risk of cardiovascular disease: prospective cohort study (NutriNet-Santé)“. Srour et al, British Medical Journal, May 2019

8.”Ultra-processed food exposure and adverse health outcomes: umbrella review of epidemiological meta-analyses“, Lane et al, British Medical Journal, February 2024

Intended as a solution for those living with obesity and hyped as the solution to obesity. Accordingly, demand has outstripped supply causing shortages. But, do they live up to the hype?

Impressive results have been achieved with weight loss drugs. For instance, one study showed that the mean weight loss following a Wegovy treatment over 104 weeks was 15.2%. Another study of Saxenda showed it consistently resulted in a 4 to 6 kg weight loss, with a greater proportion of patients achieving at least 5 and 10%.

So how do these drugs work?

Both Wegovy and Saxenda mimick the action of glucagon-like-peptide 1 (GLP-1). GLP-1 is a naturally occurring hormone that helps to regulate blood glucose levels, and to control appetite, particularly after meals. They can also delay stomach emptying, keeping you feeling full for a longer time.

Not only are GLP-1 mimics used for weight loss, they are also used in diabetes medication. For a fuller description of how they works please refer to the NHS overview, Diabetes medicines : GLP-1 agonists.

What about side effects?

It’s no surprise that using weight loss drugs comes with the risk of potential side effects. In fact a two year study looking at, amongst other things, the tolerability of semaglutide (Wegovy)found that 82.2% of participants reported gastrointestinal disorders, namely nausea, diarrhoea, vomiting and constipation.

Refer to the manufacturers websites, Wegovy.com and Saxenda.com for a full list

How do I get a weight loss drug to help me lose weight?

In the UK weight loss drugs are prescription medications. You can buy them online with a valid prescription.

To be eligible for referral to a specialist NHS weight management service requires a BMI of between 30-34.9 kg/m2, with 1 weight-related comorbidity.

Consequently, if you are prescribed by the NHS, then it’ll only be for 2 years to “ensure it remains value for money for the taxpayer“.

IF there is an option to self fund the treatment on an ongoing basis after an NHS referral, it’s not cheap. At the time of writing prices of up to £280 per month are being quoted by some online pharmacy’s. That’s £3,360 per year, or about 10% of the average UK salary in 2023, to maintain the use of the drug on a self funded basis, potentially for decades.

You may have seen the article in the BBC News where Oprah Winfrey has publicly left her long term association with WeightWatchers and confirmed she is using Wegovy to maintain her weight indefinitely. We aren’t all in the same financial position as Oprah Winfrey and self funding may well be unaffordable for many people.

If I come off a weight loss will I keep the weight off?

No, not necessarily.

Basically, studies have confirmed ongoing treatment is required to maintain improvements in weight and health.

Moreover, studies have shown that rebound weight gain can as much as two‐thirds of the prior weight loss.

Does, my lifestyle have to change?

Yes.

Lifestyle changes lay the foundation for all healthy weight loss, even when you’re taking weight loss drugs.

Francesco Branca, World Health Organisation director of nutrition and food safety, told Reuters that whilst weight loss drugs are important but they are not a “silver bullet”, other interventions, including diet and exercise, remain critical to help manage obesity.

Likewise, the NHS guidance for treating obesity with medication is clear, “You’ll need to eat a balanced, reduced-calorie diet and exercise regularly while taking liraglutide or semaglutide“.

Simple, right? Well if you’re not doing them already, learning to do them consistently is hard. Particularly, if you try the all or nothing approach implied in generic recommendations.

Your lifestyle will need to change.

If you would like to learn more

Check out the links to scientific papers and news articles provided in the sources section below.

To learn how we can help you lose weight and keep it off check out our 1-to-1 Wellbeing Coaching and Lose Weight pages to see how we can help you make lifestyle changes to support your health