Consumption Wise, Study Finds Live Relationship Between Ultra-Proses Food And Kronis Disease

JAKARTA - A new report concluded that ultra-process food is the main driver of obesity as well as the main cause of chronic disease. The findings published in the journal Nature Reviews Endocrinology are a summary of the research that scientists have conducted on the potential relationship between obesity and the emergence of ultra-process foods.

The researchers reported strong evidence that ultra-process foods encourage excessive appetite and increase the risk of obesity.

They say additive substances and preservatives in ultra-process foods such as chips, ready-to-eat food, and pastries can cause excessive energy intake, disrupt the digestive system, and affect the brain's ability to signal someone that they have eaten enough.

The researchers added that ultra-process food can change the way the body absorbs food as well as the composition and function of the gut microbiota. The researchers urged government leaders to take action to improve the food environment by imposing measures such as labeling packaging and marketing restrictions.

Experts who were not involved in the study said that this research review was important.

"This confirms what is known that ultra-process food is detrimental to the body," said Mir Ali, MD, a general surgeon, bariatric surgeon, and medical director of the MemorialCare Surgical Weight Loss Center at Orange Coast Medical Center, California.

"Research on UPF [ultra-process food] is growing rapidly," added Laura Schmidt, PhD, a professor at the Faculty of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco.

"I like this review because it summarizes the latest evidence and presents it in its entirety," Schmidt continued, launching Healthline, Friday, August 29.

David wrong, MD, a family doctor attenuated Saint John's Health Center in California, noted that the origin of ultra-process food has some benefits for the community. How come you weren't involved in this new study.

He noted that 150 years ago in the United States, malnutrition and vitamin deficiency were widespread as well as disease due to food that was not properly preserved.men say that preservative and additive materials added to foods more than a century ago increased their shelf life and nutritional value. However, he noted, in recent decades, ultra-processed foods have surpassed this scientific advancement.

"The risk is now greater than the alleged benefit when adding these ingredients into ultra-processed food",UREd Healthline.

Ali noted that ultra-process foods tend to be calorie-rich and nutrient-poor. This food is also designed to be delicious, which can cause people to overeat.

Travis Masterson, PhD, a professor of health promotion and disease prevention at Pennsylvania State University and a member of the communications committee at The Obesity Society, said that it was not only the amount of ultra-process food consumed, but also its content. Masterson was not involved in this new study.

In particular, he noted something called energy density.

"Energy density is how much calories can be packaged in a meal," Masterson told Healthline.

"There is a fairly close relationship between how unhealthy a diet and the energy density of a food."

"Many ultra-process foods tend to be high in energy because they remove elements such as water and fiber to improve storage stability and improve texture while increasing existing levels of fat and sugar," he explained.

Previous research has reported various health problems related to ultra-processed foods. A study published in April stated that ultra-process food is related to more than 120,000 preventable deaths in the United States each year.

A 2023 study found that consumption of ultra-process food increases the risk of heart disease, cancer and diabetes. In addition, a 2024 study shows a potential relationship between this food and cognitive decline. Experts say the damage is more than just weight gain and the chronic conditions it causes.

Ali said ultra-process foods can increase cardiovascular risk due to preservative content. Schmidt added that the health effects can reach the cellular level.

The UPF also damages the gut microbiome by making the 'healthy bacteria' deficient in fiber and incorporating additional chemicals that damage the intestinal lining designed to cover the intestines, he explained to Healthline.

"This means bacteria in the intestines can enter the bloodstream, causing chronic inflammation throughout the body which is a risk factor for many chronic diseases."

"Finally, the high levels of sugar, fat, and salt in UPF (which are added to taste delicious) have their own health effects that increase the risk of chronic diseases," Schmidt said.

"The challenges of UPF vary, but these studies and other studies show things like additive substances, amplification, sweeteners, sodium, texture, and potential additive properties," said Kristin Kirkpatrick, RD, president of KAK Consulting and nutritionist at Ohio's Cleveland Clinic Prevention & Medicine Department. Kirkpatrick was not involved in this new study.

"Another concern component is the fact that this food is often difficult to stop consumption, so the hope of controlling the portion is almost unrealistic compared to whole food," he told Healthline.

In addition to these ingredients, UPF often replaces healthy foods and is nutrient-intensive in diet, which can actually increase the risk of chronic diseases.