After 10 years of follow-up, it was found that ultra-processed food not only harms the child’s present but also affects the future

In daily life, adults may buy all kinds of snacks they love for their children, such as sausages, French fries, instant noodles, fried chicken nuggets, biscuits, ice cream and so on

Eating too much of this "junk food" will not only affect the development of bones during growth, but also plant the bane of chronic diseases such as overweight/obesity, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer

A recent study published in JAMA Pediatrics found that regular consumption of ultra-processed foods during childhood is associated with body mass index (BMI), body fat content (FMI) and body weight during adolescence and early adulthood.

In this study, the investigator followed up a total of 9,025 subjects aged 7 to 24 years from September 1, 1998 to October 31, 2017.

Researchers divide food and beverages into 4 groups according to the degree and purpose of industrial food processing:

Unprocessed/minimally processed foods: non-alcoholic foods such as fresh, frozen, ground, pasteurized or fermented after isolation from air, such as fruits, vegetables, milk, meat, beans, etc.

After a median follow-up of 10.

▲ The average super-processed food intake as a percentage of the total daily food intake, divided into five groups

Dr.

According to the "Report on the Status of Nutrition and Chronic Diseases of Chinese Residents (2020)", the rate of overweight and obesity among Chinese adults is close to 50%.

"Childhood is a critical period for the formation of food preferences and eating habits, which has a long-term impact on health

Another study published in Pediatric Obesity found that children’s eating habits at the age of 3 affect their health at the age of 7

Other studies have found that “the first year after birth is a critical period for the development of habits, and these habits will affect a person’s lifelong health model

Note: The original text has been deleted

Reference

[1] Kiara Chang et al, Association Between Childhood Consumption of Ultraprocessed Food and Adiposity Trajectories in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children Birth Cohort, JAMA Pediatrics (2021).

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[1] Researchers find negative impact of junk food on kids' skeletal development.