Children Eating Too Many Dangerous Foods

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Children Eating Too Many Dangerous Foods

I’ve told you before about the dangers of too much ultra-processed food in your diet. A new study reports that  “ultra-processed foods made up two-thirds of the average American kid’s diet.” The study included data on “over 30,000 U.S. children and adolescents,” and concluded that “ultra-processed foods made up [about 61 percent] of the estimated total energy consumption in 1999 but increased to 67 percent by 2018.” Ultra-processed foods are defined as “pre-made ready-to-eat or ready-to-heat foods,” and are generally “high in sugar, trans fat, sodium, and refined starch.” Ultra-processed foods include sweetened breakfast cereals, flavored potato chips, energy drinks, and flavored granola bars with added sugar and preservatives. As a result, they are very low in healthy fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals. There was a significant jump in the number of calories consumed by kids who ate ultra-processed foods such as pizza, sandwiches, and hamburgers. The good news is that kids are consuming about have as many sugar-sweetened drinks such as soft drinks, fruit-sweetened drinks, and other sweetened beverages. The findings were published in JAMA Open Network.


© Copyright WLL, INC. 2021. This blog provides a wide variety of general health information only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment from your regular physician. If you are concerned about your health, take what you learn from this blog and meet with your personal doctor to discuss your concerns.

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