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Research papers on Ultra-processed foods and health

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  1. The UN Decade of Nutrition, the NOVA food classification and the trouble with ultra-processing

    Carlos Augusto Monteiro, Geoffrey Cannon, Jean‐Claude Moubarac, et al. · 2017 · Public Health Nutrition · 2,350 citations

    Given evident multiple threats to food systems and supplies, food security, human health and welfare, the living and physical world and the biosphere, the years 2016-2025 are now designated by the UN as the Decade of Nutrition, in support of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. For these initiatives to succeed, it is necessary to know which foods contribute to health and well-being, and which are unhealthy. The present commentary outlines the NOVA system of food classification based on the nature, extent and purpose of food processing. Evidence that NOVA effectively addresses the quality of diets and their impact on all forms of malnutrition, and also the sustainability of food systems, has

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  2. Consumption of ultra-processed foods and health outcomes: a systematic review of epidemiological studies

    Xiaojia Chen, Zhang Zhang, Huijie Yang, et al. · 2020 · Nutrition Journal · 519 citations

    BACKGROUND: Consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) plays a potential role in the development of obesity and other diet-related noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), but no studies have systematically focused on this. This study aimed to summarize the evidence for the association between UPFs consumption and health outcomes. METHODS: A comprehensive search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science to identify all relevant studies. Epidemiological studies were included, and identified studies were evaluated for risk of bias.A narrative review of the synthesized findings was provided to assess the association between UPFs consumption and health outcomes. RESULTS: 20 studies (12 cohort

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  3. Energy contribution of NOVA food groups and sociodemographic determinants of ultra-processed food consumption in the Mexican population

    Joaquín A Marrón-Ponce, Tania G Sánchez-Pimienta, Maria Laura da Costa Louzada, et al. · 2018 · Public Health Nutrition · 197 citations

    Objective: To identify the energy contributions of NOVA food groups in the Mexican diet and the associations between individual sociodemographic characteristics and the energy contribution of ultra-processed foods (UPF). Design: We classified foods and beverages reported in a 24 h recall according to the NOVA food framework into: (i) unprocessed or minimally processed foods; (ii) processed culinary ingredients; (iii) processed foods; and (iv) UPF. We estimated the energy contribution of each food group and ran a multiple linear regression to identify the associations between sociodemographic characteristics and UPF energy contribution. Setting: Mexican National Health and Nutrition Survey 20

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  4. Ultra-processed foods and human health: An umbrella review and updated meta-analyses of observational evidence

    Shuhui Dai, Judith Wellens, Nan Yang, et al. · 2024 · Clinical Nutrition · 147 citations

    BACKGROUND & AIMS: Ultra-processed food (UPF) intake has increased sharply over the last few decades and has been consistently asserted to be implicated in the development of non-communicable diseases. We aimed to evaluate and update the existing observational evidence for associations between ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption and human health. METHODS: We searched Medline and Embase from inception to March 2023 to identify and update meta-analyses of observational studies examining the associations between UPF consumption, as defined by the NOVA classification, and a wide spectrum of health outcomes. For each health outcome, we estimated the summary effect size, 95% confidence interval

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  5. Consumption of Ultra-Processed Foods Increases the Likelihood of Having Obesity in Korean Women

    Hyuni Sung, Ji Min Park, Se Uk Oh, et al. · 2021 · Nutrients · 86 citations

    This study aimed to determine the association between consumption of ultra-processed foods and obesity among Korean adults. We used the data of 7364 participants (men 3219, women 4145) aged 19–64 years from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES), 2016–2018. Food items were classified using the NOVA food classification system, depending on the extent and purpose of food processing: (1) unprocessed or minimally processed foods, (2) processed culinary ingredients, (3) processed foods, and (4) ultra-processed foods. Consumption of ultra-processed foods accounted for 26.8% of the total energy intake. After adjusting for potential confounders including sociodemographi

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  6. Impacts of Consumption of Ultra-Processed Foods on the Maternal-Child Health: A Systematic Review

    Priscila Gomes de Oliveira, Juliana Morais de Sousa, Débora Gabriela Fernandes Assunção, et al. · 2022 · Frontiers in Nutrition · 74 citations

    Background and Aims: Changes in eating patterns have been leading to an increase in the consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPF), negatively impacting the quality of the diet and generating risk of harm to the health of the adult population, however, there is no systematized evidence of the impact of UPF in maternal-child health. Thus, in this study we aimed to evaluated the association between UPF consumption and health outcomes in the maternal-child population. Methods: Systematic review registered on the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) (CRD42021236633), conducted according to the PRISMA diagram in the following databases: PubMed, Medline, Scopus, Web

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  7. Ultra-processed food consumption and human health: an umbrella review of systematic reviews with meta-analyses

    Janett Barbaresko, Janine Bröder, Johanna Conrad, et al. · 2024 · Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition · 55 citations

    Recently, ultra-processed foods received a lot of attention, but also criticism. Our aim was to provide an overview of the existing evidence of ultra-processed food consumption on human health. We conducted a systematic search in four databases until January 5th, 2024. Systematic reviews with meta-analyses on ultra-processed food consumption as defined by the NOVA classification system were included. The certainty of evidence was evaluated by the GRADE approach. We identified 16 publications. Moderate certainty of evidence was found for all-cause mortality (Summary Risk Ratio per 50 g: 1.02; 95% confidence Interval (CI): 1.01, 1.03), cardiovascular disease incidence and mortality (per 50 g/d

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  8. How and why ultra-processed foods harm human health

    Renata Bertazzi Levy, Mayra Figueiredo Barata, Maria Alvim Leite, et al. · 2023 · Proceedings of The Nutrition Society · 45 citations

    The analysis of food using a perspective centred on nutrients seems inadequate for understanding the dietary transition and its impact on the growth of obesity and chronic diseases. Industrial food processing is now proposed as the key to explain the relationship between food and health. The NOVA food classification considers the degree and the purpose of food processing, which includes physical, biological and chemical processes used after foods are separated from nature, and before being consumed or prepared as dishes and meals. NOVA has four food groups: (1) unprocessed and minimally processed foods; (2) processed culinary ingredients; (3) processed foods and (4) ultra-processed foods, wh

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  9. Ultra-Processed Food Consumption and Depressive Symptoms in a Mediterranean Cohort

    Justyna Godos, Marialaura Bonaccio, Wahidah H. Al-Qahtani, et al. · 2023 · Nutrients · 43 citations

    Excess consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) is currently under investigation for its potentially detrimental impact on human health. Current evidence demonstrates a substantial association with an increased risk of metabolic disorders, but data on mental health outcomes are just emerging. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the consumption of UPFs and depressive symptoms in a sample of younger Italian adults. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 596 individuals (age 18-35 y) recruited in southern Italy. Food frequency questionnaires and the NOVA classification were used to assess dietary factors; the Center for the Epidemiological Studies of Depressio

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  12. Food consumption by NOVA food classification, metabolic outcomes, and barriers to healthy food consumption among university students

    Elizabeth Sekyi, Nana Ama Frimpomaa Agyapong, Guy Eshun · 2023 · Food Science & Nutrition · 11 citations

    The NOVA food classification system is a simple tool that can be used to assess the consumption levels of different categories of foods based on their level of processing. The degree to which food is processed has a significant impact on health outcomes. In Ghana, no study exists on the consumption of the different NOVA food groups among tertiary students and how it relates to their metabolic outcomes. This study assessed the frequency of food intake according to the NOVA classification and how they relate to body mass index, waist circumference, and blood pressure. The barriers to the consumption of healthy foods among students were also assessed. This was a cross-sectional study conducted

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  13. Food Allergens in Ultra-Processed Foods According to the NOVA Classification System: A Greek Branded Food Level Analysis

    Alexandra Katidi, Stefania Xanthopoulou, Antonis Vlassopoulos, et al. · 2023 · Nutrients · 10 citations

    Ultra-processed foods’ (UPFs’) consumption has been positively linked to the presence of allergic symptoms, but it is yet unknown whether this is linked to their nutritional composition or allergen load. This study used the ingredient lists available in the Greek Branded Food Composition Database, HelTH, to classify foods (n = 4587) into four grades of food processing (NOVA1–4) according to the NOVA System. Associations between NOVA grades and the presence of allergens (as an ingredient or trace) were studied. Overall, UPFs (NOVA4) were more likely to contain allergens than unprocessed foods, NOVA1 (76.1% vs. 58.0%). However, nested analyses among similar foods showed that in >90% of cases,

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  14. “NOVA Tracker”: Statistical validation of the “NOVA Tracker” as an instrument that captures ultra-processed food consumption

    Philippe Belmont, Wilma B. Freire · 2023 · Bitácora Académica · 3 citations

    In Ecuador, overweight and obesity (ow/ob) reach alarmingly high levels of prevalence in adult and adolescent population. Sedentary habits, loss of dietary diversity and consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPF) are among the identified factorsthat increase the prevalence of ow/ob, which are part of a phenomenon identified as nutritional transition. The development of the agro-industrial sector, along with the urban lifestyle, contributes to a shift in eating patterns, increasing the risks ofchronic non-communicable diseases. This transition occurs when “traditional” diets are replaced with fewer basic foods and greater UPF consumption.

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  17. Consumption of ultra-processed foods by pregnant women: analysis of diet quality based on the NOVA classification of foods

    Nayara Gomes Graciliano · 2020 · LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas)

    Pregnancy is a period marked by major physiological, metabolic and nutritional changes that contribute to the increased vulnerability of women to present nutritional inadequacies related to dietary intake. At this stage, proper nutrition is critical to the prevention of negative gestational outcomes. Changes in the dietary and nutritional profile of the population have been a major threat to women during the gestational period and, in this perspective, studies of food consumption have used the percentage of energy supplied by ultra-processed foods to assess the relationship between eating habits and health. from different populations. Thus, the present dissertation is structured in two parts

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  19. Associations between ultra-processed food consumption, sleep quality, and chronotype

    Eda Keskin, Betül Yılmazer, Ebrar Çalış · 2026 · Food and Health

    This study examined the associations between ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption, sleep quality, and chronotype. This cross-sectional study included 200 healthy adults, with data collected on demographic-health characteristics, anthropometric measurements, UPF consumption using the Screening Questionnaire of Highly Processed Food Consumption (sQ-HPF), sleep quality using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and chronotype using the Morningness–Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ). Participants’ mean age was 25.9±9.4 years; 54% were female. High UPF consumption was observed in 72.0% of participants, 74.0% had poor sleep quality, and 75.5% were classified as having an intermediate chronoty

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  20. Ultra Processed Food Consumption and Adolescent Health Outcomes: A Systematic Review

    Nourine YEGON, Miriam MUGA, Dominic KIPROTICH · 2026 · African Journal of Nutrition and Dietetics

    Ultra‑processed foods (UPFs; NOVA Group 4) are increasingly consumed by adolescents worldwide. This developmental stage is marked by rapid physical growth, hormonal changes, and the establishment of lifelong dietary patterns, making adolescents particularly vulnerable to the nutritional and health consequences of UPFs. There is limited evidence in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) in the face of a rapid shift in diet because the region is exposed more to UPFs by urbanization, marketing, and shifting food environments, adolescents are exposed to UPFs more and more.The study evaluated the relationship of UPF consumption and adolescent health outcomes. The review was done according to PRISMA 2020, five

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