by Ultra-processed foods make up more than half of the average food consumed by Americans. Including frozen and prepared meals, most packaged snacks, desserts and carbonated soft drinks; but also including more benign foods-; they are often considered the bane of healthy food, which do not contain much nutrition to support healthy bodies.
However, “not all processed foods are created equal,” according to University of Rhode Island Nutrition Professor Kathleen Melanson. Evidence to support the assumption that all ultra-processed foods are bad for human health is limited, and the official dietary guidelines of the US Department of Agriculture have not taken into account the nutritional quality of processed foods. Melanson, along with Nutrition Department Chair Ingrid Lofgren, aims to help inform the newest guidelines, due in 2025, as she begins a nutrition study funded by a $300,000 USDA grant.
“The classification of foods as ultra-processed is kind of vague and confusing,” Melanson said. “Consumers do not understand what it means, and researchers are even in heated debates about the classification of foods according to the level of processing. It is very one-sided to look at the process itself, instead of considering other aspects of the food, which is most important for quality nutritional. Researchers tend to hole-hole foods, so our study is addressing a broader perspective to categorize food that takes into account not only processing, but also nutritional quality.”
Ultra-processed foods can include what most refer to as “junk food,” such as donuts, potato chips and soda. But “processed food” can mean something as simple as removing the skin from tomatoes before canning, or adding seasonings to taste. It can also mean that some foods are nutritionally enhanced, such as wholemeal bread or cereals that have been fortified with vitamins and minerals. Current nutritional guidelines do not distinguish between positive and negative processing.
Melanson is looking for volunteers to visit her laboratory on the Kingston campus on three separate occasions, when they will be served test meals for comparison. One meal will be the “gold standard” of nutrition -; at least processed food of high nutritional value –; and participants will compare it to one meal of highly ultra-processed food with high nutritional quality, and another meal of highly ultra-processed food with low nutritional quality.
Foods in the American food supply are within that average category that are ultra-processed, by category, but are high in dietary fiber, provide vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients, protein, essential amino acids. These foods tend to be more affordable and convenient for consumers on a tight budget or schedule. We’re trying to understand if they’re okay compared to the gold standard for people on a tight budget or schedule. These are foods that are still of high quality, but are convenient and at a lower cost because of the particular type of processing they have undergone.”
Kathleen Melanson, University of Rhode Island Nutrition Professor
The study is looking for consumer opinions on ultra-processed foods, while measuring energy intake, satiety, and eating behaviors using the Universal Eating Monitor to measure the speed at which different foods are eaten. Do consumers take in too many calories because they are eating the tasty, ultra-processed foods too quickly and don’t realize they are getting full? Are they eating too much to compensate for lower nutrition in some processed foods? Researchers will also track participants’ food and drink consumption for the rest of each day to assess potential compensation for energy intake, and levels of processing of the foods they choose to eat.
Malanson’s laboratory is also running a joint study about consumer perceptions of foods in relation to level of processing and nutritional quality. Adults 18 to 39 are welcome to take a 15-minute online survey to rate whether they think there are examples of ultra-processed foods, and whether they think those foods are of high nutritional quality, and why . Any adult 18 to 39 who is interested in participating in this or the original study can contact [email protected] or Melanson at [email protected].
Together, the studies will shed light on consumer perceptions of ultra-processed foods, help inform the USDA, and dispel some misconceptions about processed foods, especially those that fall in the middle, between ultra-processed and organic .
“It would be great if people could grow their own organic food in their own gardens, but most people don’t have the resources or time for that, so that’s an impractical dream,” Melanson said. “Consumers should consider the whole food -; yes, whether it is ultra-processed or not -; but also what it provides, the advantages and disadvantages; not just trying to pigeon hole it as good food/bad food. There are foods that exist. on the other side of course -; chips, candy, soda; as it should be. It’s the fuzzy middles that our study is trying to handle.”
Source:
University of Rhode Island
