Ultra-processed food can lead to higher risk of early death

The Alternative Healthy Eating Index-2010 (AHEI) score was recently used in a study to assess overall dietary quality, rating ultra-processed food to predict chronic disease.

About Ultra-Processed Foods (UPF):

• Refers to food products that have undergone extensive processing and contain a high number of added ingredients such as preservatives, artificial flavors, and emulsifiers.
• Examples include packaged snacks, ready-to-eat meals, sugary drinks, breakfast cereals, and many types of fast food.
• These foods have a long shelf life and fall under the NOVA classification system.
• Impacts:
• Can lead to higher risks of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, bowel cancer, etc.
• High in Fat, Sugar, and Salt (HFSS) and calories, low in nutrients, leading to overeating tendencies and malnourishment

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