Many adults are addicted to ultra-processed foods, researchers warn
Researchers show signs of dependence on UPFs with many adults, fifties and sixties in sixties.
Ultra -processed foods such as desserts, fast food and sugary drinks are highly modified products with high amounts of fat, salt, sugar and flavor.
Approximately 2,000 Americans were investigated in a new study by Michigan University about eating habits. Those who meet the UPF addiction criteria, 21 percent of women and 10 percent of men are gene X, and addicts are more likely to be overweight, isolated and mental health weak.
Gen X, which is currently fifties and sixty, was the first generation that grew up with UPFs around the shops and the media.
Lucy K. Loch, a graduate student at the Department of Psychology of the University, said: “Today’s old adults were in an important developmental period in which our country’s food environment has changed. It is important to examine the dependency on UPFs in this age group with other researches showing clear connections between the consumption of these foods and the risk of chronic illness and premature death.”
The dependence rate is much higher than the previous generations that grew only ten years ago for Gen X and only encounter UPFs in adulthood. Among the adults aged 65 to 80, only 12 percent of women and 4 percent of men were dependent.
Professor Ashley Gearhardt, who leads the university’s food and addiction science and treatment laboratory, said, “The percentages we see in these data, the percentages of other addictions such as alcohol and tobacco, leaving the percentages of older adults who are problematic use.”
Researchers used the modified Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0 to evaluate addiction in a standard way. They asked about 13 experiences with UPFs and beverages that define addiction such as strong desires, repetitive initiatives for cutting, deprivation symptoms and fear of excessive eating.
Women were more likely to be dependent on men who were typically different from traditional substance use disorders that tend to be more common in older men.
Scientists, aggressive marketing of “diet” UPFs to women in the 1980s may be a statement for this. This includes carbohydrate heavy products such as “low -fat” cookies and meals prepared in the microwave with low calorie ”, which is introduced as“ health washed ”weight control solutions, but still formulated to maximize requests.
“These products are sold as health foods – this can be particularly problematic for those who try to reduce the number of calories they consume,” he said. “This affects women especially because of the social pressure around the weight.”
Overweight women aged 50 to 80 years are 11 times more likely, and the probability of overweight men being dependent on UPFs is more than 19 times higher than average weight.
The probability of men with fair or weak mental health were four times more than those with good mental health. Isolated individuals are likely to be dependent on UPFs.
Profeshardt added: “Children and adolescents consume higher calorie rates from UPFs today from today’s middle -aged adults.
“As in other substances, early intervention may be necessary to reduce the risk of long -term dependence for life.”
