08/12/2021
Childhood obesity has been rising steadily over the years. It's been well established that the overconsumption of ultra-processed foods leads to excessive calorie consumption, with low nutrient density, ultimately leading to weight gain and a slew of lifestyle related conditions (ie. heart disease, diabetes, etc) later on in life. But, what are kids actually eating?
This study looked into it.
The results should be a wake up call. They found that on average, kids consume 67% of their calories from ultra-processed foods, with only 23% coming from minimally processed or unprocessed foods.
This means most kids aren't eating fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts/seeds - all the foods that help their bodies develop into thriving, healthy adults.
It's sad, it's scary... and the implications on how it will affect the future of healthcare and how we function as a society are endless.
This cross-sectional analysis uses 24-hour dietary recall data to characterize trends in the consumption of ultraprocessed foods in a nationally representative sample of US youths aged 2-19 years from 10 cycles of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.