Ultraprocessed Food Study

The heaviest users of AUT at the age of three thus seemed more likely to suffer from anxiety, fear, hyperactivity or even aggression at the age of five.

Even more specifically, a computer simulation showed researchers that for every 10 percent increase in calories from AUT, children scored higher on checklists of emotional and behavioral problems. But the opposite was also true, as these scores fell for every 10% of calories from AUT replaced by calories from minimally processed foods.

“Mental health and behavioral problems are on the rise, particularly among the Canadian population,” recalled the lead author of the study, Assistant Professor Kozeta Miliku of the Department of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Toronto.

“We therefore wanted to see if ultra-processed foods, which occupy a preponderant place in the Canadian diet, have an effect on behavioral and emotional problems in children. In addition to physical health, I wonder if they harm, if I can put it that way, cerebral and emotional development. »

It’s an observational study that doesn’t establish causation, she stressed, but “it adds behavioral development to the growing list of health effects linked to processed foods.”

Professor Miliku and her colleagues analyzed data from an ongoing Canadian study of pregnancy and child health, which follows nearly 2,100 preschool-aged children.

The team compared dietary data collected when the children were 3 years old to their scores on an emotional and behavioral well-being checklist when they were 5 years old.

Looking at ultraprocessed foods by subgroup, researchers found that higher consumption of sugary or artificially sweetened beverages was associated with higher total internalizing (a measure of self-oriented behaviors, such as anxiety, depression, or withdrawal) and behavior scores.

Higher consumption of breads and cereals as well as ready-to-eat or reheat mixed meals was associated with higher internalization scores.

The underlying mechanisms are not well understood, but Professor Miliku points out that AUTs are low in fiber and micronutrients, but high in salt, fat and sugar, three substances that can have an impact on brain functioning.

Saturated fat, for example, can promote neuroinflammation or interfere with signals between the gut and the brain, while sugar is associated with emotional dysregulation and depressive symptoms. TUEs also contain additives that can disrupt the endocrine system, underlines the researcher.

The observed heterogeneity between TUE subgroups is consistent with other cohort studies, “suggesting that not all TUEs pose the same health risks,” the researchers say.

The benefits of minimally processed foods

On the other hand, they report – possibly for the first time in the medical journal JAMA Network Open – “replacing ultraprocessed foods with minimally processed foods in terms of calorie intake was associated with lower behavioral scores, highlighting a potential target for diet modification.”

“It was spectacular,” said Professor Miliku. We found that when we modeled replacing 10% of these calories with minimally processed foods, we observed better behavioral scores. »

Ultraprocessed foods have completely transformed the modern food system, she added, and “it’s really important to think about what we’re going to change in our children’s diets.”

We shouldn’t aim for perfection in the hope of eliminating all ultra-processed foods from our plates, said Professor Miliku, who acknowledges that some parents may feel “guilty” about serving TUEs to their children.

“Above all, focus on the long-term trend, not perfection,” she insisted. We need to think about making lasting changes. It is important to think about small changes, maintain them and make them sustainable for the healthy development of children. Ultra-processed foods are such a big part of preschoolers’ diets that small changes can make a big difference. »

Frozen or dried fruits and vegetables, dried legumes, rice, pasta, couscous, flour, milk and plain yogurt are some examples of minimally processed foods.

In comparison, ultraprocessed foods are those that have been produced industrially and contain ingredients not typically found in a home kitchen, such as emulsifiers, preservatives, artificial colors and flavors.

This broad category includes products such as soft drinks, instant noodles and chips, as well as less obvious foods like flavored yogurts and commercially prepared whole-wheat breads.

According to the most recent data available, ultra-processed foods represent nearly 45% of the daily energy intake of Canadians aged 20 and over.