Ultra-Processed Foods and Children's Health

Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) have been rising in popularity in both daily life and the food industry in recent years. For example, they now take up over half of the average calorie consumption, rising from 51% to 54% from 2003 to 2018. These types of foods have grown in popularity due to their affordability, convenience, and mass production. Because of this growth in consumption, it has directly affected consumers in the health sector. More studies and research have found that the health implications associated with the consumption of ultra-processed foods range from obesity to food disorders.

They are high in saturated fat, salt and sugar, and often contain additives, preservatives, and artificial flavors such as synthetic colorings. Some examples are instant noodles, cookies, candies, chocolate bar, marshmallows, frozen waffles or pancakes with added syrup, potato chips, soda, sports drinks, and chocolate or strawberry milk with added sugar.

Their popularity has made it easier for lower-income families to access these cheap and convenient foods. Cindy Leung, an assistant professor of Public Health Nutrition at Harvard observes the common pattern that poorer, more food-insecure households will purchase UPFs because they are “aggressively marketed widely accessible, more shelf stable than foods with less processing, and touted for their convenience.”

Kids love UPFs. However, they are low in essential nutrients and lead to obesity and overweight. Fortunately, Assembly Member Gabriel in California introduced a bill, AB-1264 Pupil nutrition: ultra-processed food. It proposes banning UPFs in schools starting in 2028. The bill also suggests establishing a monitoring mechanism to improve students’ nutrition and reduce UPFs’ health risk.