1 00:00:09,720 --> 00:00:13,960 Speaker 1: Hey, everyone, Welcome to another edition of Wisdom Wednesdays. Today, 2 00:00:14,040 --> 00:00:16,520 Speaker 1: I want to talk about a new research paper that's 3 00:00:16,680 --> 00:00:20,520 Speaker 1: just been released that I think is yet another nil 4 00:00:20,720 --> 00:00:24,759 Speaker 1: in the coffin of ultra processed foods. So it was 5 00:00:24,760 --> 00:00:28,840 Speaker 1: published in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine and the 6 00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:34,720 Speaker 1: title is Premature Mortality Attributable to ultra process food Consumption 7 00:00:35,360 --> 00:00:38,680 Speaker 1: in eight Countries. So what they did was they looked 8 00:00:38,720 --> 00:00:43,720 Speaker 1: at a number of different countries, ones in Central and 9 00:00:43,760 --> 00:00:48,320 Speaker 1: South America. So they picked Columbia, Brazil, they picked Chile 10 00:00:48,520 --> 00:00:52,519 Speaker 1: and Mexico, and then they picked Australia, Canada, United Kingdom 11 00:00:52,640 --> 00:00:55,760 Speaker 1: and the US. And the reason for picking these countries 12 00:00:56,560 --> 00:00:59,680 Speaker 1: is that a couple of them were low consumers of 13 00:00:59,760 --> 00:01:03,400 Speaker 1: ultra process foods i Columbia and Brazil, a couple were 14 00:01:03,520 --> 00:01:08,479 Speaker 1: intermediate consumers Chile and Mexico, and the rest of them 15 00:01:08,480 --> 00:01:12,160 Speaker 1: were high Australia, Canada, United Kingdom, and the United States, 16 00:01:12,240 --> 00:01:15,880 Speaker 1: which if you've listened to my podcast before, are four 17 00:01:16,160 --> 00:01:19,600 Speaker 1: of the biggest of the four biggest consumers of ultra 18 00:01:19,680 --> 00:01:23,520 Speaker 1: processed foods in the world, the biggest one being the 19 00:01:23,600 --> 00:01:26,880 Speaker 1: United States, swiftly followed by the United Kingdom, and then 20 00:01:26,920 --> 00:01:30,520 Speaker 1: we have Canada and Australia. And what they did was 21 00:01:30,560 --> 00:01:34,880 Speaker 1: they looked at the percentage of ultra processed foods in 22 00:01:34,959 --> 00:01:39,520 Speaker 1: the diets of the population in those different countries. So 23 00:01:39,560 --> 00:01:43,400 Speaker 1: they looked at national surveys. So for instance, the Brazil 24 00:01:43,600 --> 00:01:46,920 Speaker 1: one was in the year twenty seventeen, twenty eighteen, that's 25 00:01:46,920 --> 00:01:49,520 Speaker 1: when the survey was done, and this is for people 26 00:01:49,640 --> 00:01:53,559 Speaker 1: of thirty to sixty nine years old, and the main 27 00:01:53,640 --> 00:01:58,280 Speaker 1: consumption of ultra process food in Brazil was seventeen point 28 00:01:58,280 --> 00:02:01,840 Speaker 1: four percent of calories in the diet. Contrast that with 29 00:02:01,880 --> 00:02:05,560 Speaker 1: the United States that was fifty four and a half percent. 30 00:02:06,240 --> 00:02:10,400 Speaker 1: That was from the big national survey in twenty seventeen, 31 00:02:10,400 --> 00:02:13,360 Speaker 1: twenty eighteen. Now again these are data for thirty to 32 00:02:13,440 --> 00:02:16,160 Speaker 1: sixty nine year olds, So let's take case in point 33 00:02:16,200 --> 00:02:19,400 Speaker 1: of the United States, fifty four percent of all calories 34 00:02:19,400 --> 00:02:23,320 Speaker 1: consumed by thirty to sixty nine year olds were ultra 35 00:02:23,360 --> 00:02:28,080 Speaker 1: process foods. We know that similar time, they looked at 36 00:02:28,200 --> 00:02:32,360 Speaker 1: diets of teenagers and they had a whopping sixty six 37 00:02:32,520 --> 00:02:36,600 Speaker 1: percent of their calories were from ultra process foods. Again 38 00:02:37,040 --> 00:02:40,959 Speaker 1: very similar to UK. They had about sixty six percent 39 00:02:41,000 --> 00:02:43,919 Speaker 1: two thirds of all calories consumed by teenagers in recent 40 00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:47,120 Speaker 1: years were from ultra process foods. But the data that 41 00:02:47,160 --> 00:02:49,840 Speaker 1: they used in this that was from a survey in 42 00:02:49,840 --> 00:02:54,040 Speaker 1: the United Kingdom of twenty eighteen to nineteen and fifty 43 00:02:54,120 --> 00:02:57,320 Speaker 1: three percent, just over half of all calories consumed were 44 00:02:57,520 --> 00:03:02,560 Speaker 1: from ultra process foods. And then Canada it was twenty fifteen, 45 00:03:02,639 --> 00:03:07,120 Speaker 1: data was forty three point seven percent, Australia was twenty 46 00:03:07,240 --> 00:03:10,680 Speaker 1: eleven to twenty twelve. So this data is fourteen years 47 00:03:10,720 --> 00:03:15,560 Speaker 1: old and that was thirty seven point five percent amongst 48 00:03:15,600 --> 00:03:21,519 Speaker 1: that population. Now and those numbers are definitely higher particularly, 49 00:03:21,800 --> 00:03:24,519 Speaker 1: and what I mean by that is today they're definitely 50 00:03:24,560 --> 00:03:27,560 Speaker 1: higher because, for an instance, in the United State, it's 51 00:03:27,800 --> 00:03:31,440 Speaker 1: seventy three percent of all foods sold in supermarkets are 52 00:03:31,600 --> 00:03:36,160 Speaker 1: ultra process foods. I think we can reliably say that 53 00:03:36,240 --> 00:03:40,080 Speaker 1: in the United States and United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and 54 00:03:40,440 --> 00:03:43,840 Speaker 1: you could throw in New Zealand into this, over half 55 00:03:43,880 --> 00:03:48,000 Speaker 1: of all calories consumed across the entire population are from 56 00:03:48,120 --> 00:03:53,480 Speaker 1: ultra processed foods and drinks. And so some people have criticized. 57 00:03:53,600 --> 00:03:57,040 Speaker 1: You may have seen some of this. This research paper 58 00:03:57,040 --> 00:04:01,640 Speaker 1: has been out in the news today, and some people 59 00:04:01,760 --> 00:04:05,800 Speaker 1: have criticized the idea of ultra processed foods because it's 60 00:04:05,840 --> 00:04:09,560 Speaker 1: a bit too blunt. Now, a lot of those people 61 00:04:09,760 --> 00:04:14,080 Speaker 1: are big food that are talking about this, saying this 62 00:04:14,160 --> 00:04:16,799 Speaker 1: is a very blunt instrument, and you know, we don't 63 00:04:16,839 --> 00:04:20,120 Speaker 1: really know for sure, and it could be just that 64 00:04:20,760 --> 00:04:23,800 Speaker 1: some other researchers are saying, well, these foods tend to 65 00:04:23,800 --> 00:04:27,360 Speaker 1: be high in fat, sugar, and salt, and maybe it's 66 00:04:27,440 --> 00:04:31,800 Speaker 1: that rather than the processing. The counter argument to this 67 00:04:32,440 --> 00:04:36,040 Speaker 1: is that we know from all the research that's done 68 00:04:36,120 --> 00:04:39,320 Speaker 1: in ultra processed foods, and I've got at least fifty 69 00:04:39,440 --> 00:04:44,200 Speaker 1: research papers on ultra processed foods RISKS, so we know 70 00:04:45,080 --> 00:04:50,640 Speaker 1: consistently that these foods, as well as having high in sugar, fat, salt, 71 00:04:50,680 --> 00:04:54,120 Speaker 1: and those sorts of things, they also contain most of 72 00:04:54,160 --> 00:05:02,440 Speaker 1: them emulsifiers, flavor enhancers, and preservatives and often colorings, and 73 00:05:02,480 --> 00:05:07,039 Speaker 1: we know that those things all disrupt the gut microbiome. 74 00:05:08,040 --> 00:05:10,440 Speaker 1: So let's get back to the study. But what I 75 00:05:10,480 --> 00:05:14,320 Speaker 1: wanted to do is say that when you take not 76 00:05:14,520 --> 00:05:18,040 Speaker 1: just looking at this paper in isolation, but the totality 77 00:05:18,120 --> 00:05:22,120 Speaker 1: of evidence that's emerging around ultra processed foods. I think 78 00:05:22,120 --> 00:05:25,719 Speaker 1: there's a massive smoking gun that's going on here. And 79 00:05:25,920 --> 00:05:31,560 Speaker 1: obviously there is a continuum of ultra processed foods. Just 80 00:05:31,600 --> 00:05:34,320 Speaker 1: to take a step back, they typically tend to have 81 00:05:34,920 --> 00:05:39,320 Speaker 1: five or more ingredients and are produced large scale industrial 82 00:05:39,400 --> 00:05:44,040 Speaker 1: processing such as factories, and they have constituents of food 83 00:05:45,200 --> 00:05:48,320 Speaker 1: parts of food, and they're not kind of real food. 84 00:05:48,360 --> 00:05:52,880 Speaker 1: As I say, this food hasn't been alive that Now, 85 00:05:53,880 --> 00:05:56,920 Speaker 1: breakfast cereals tend to be an ultra processed food other 86 00:05:57,040 --> 00:06:01,120 Speaker 1: than rolled oats. Now, clearly there's a continuum. You take 87 00:06:01,200 --> 00:06:04,640 Speaker 1: week bits brand fleets on one end and the cocoa 88 00:06:04,680 --> 00:06:07,240 Speaker 1: pops and things like that on the other end. There 89 00:06:07,320 --> 00:06:11,440 Speaker 1: is clearly a continuum. But I think this ultra process 90 00:06:11,480 --> 00:06:14,920 Speaker 1: foods is a very very good guideline for people. But anyway, 91 00:06:15,040 --> 00:06:19,120 Speaker 1: let's get back to the study. What the study actually 92 00:06:19,240 --> 00:06:24,800 Speaker 1: found was that an increasing ultra process foods in the 93 00:06:24,880 --> 00:06:30,119 Speaker 1: diet by ten percent increased your risk of all cause 94 00:06:30,240 --> 00:06:35,039 Speaker 1: mortality that is, death by anything by three percent. Now, 95 00:06:35,080 --> 00:06:39,160 Speaker 1: some people might think thirty percent increased risk of death 96 00:06:39,200 --> 00:06:44,200 Speaker 1: by any cause isn't absolutely huge, But when you comper 97 00:06:45,080 --> 00:06:49,719 Speaker 1: somebody eating a healthy diet like in Brazil, were. As 98 00:06:49,760 --> 00:06:53,640 Speaker 1: I said, the numbers of ultra processed food consumption, or 99 00:06:53,440 --> 00:06:57,040 Speaker 1: the rate of ultra process could consumption, was under twenty percent. 100 00:06:57,520 --> 00:07:01,320 Speaker 1: That's what we typically see in speed pass countries like 101 00:07:01,320 --> 00:07:05,320 Speaker 1: spaing in Italy, it's less than twenty percent and consumed 102 00:07:05,360 --> 00:07:09,040 Speaker 1: across the population. If you compare that with the United 103 00:07:09,120 --> 00:07:13,560 Speaker 1: States and the UK, and to a lesser extent, Canada 104 00:07:13,600 --> 00:07:19,160 Speaker 1: and New Zealand and Australia, there's a thirty percent difference 105 00:07:19,280 --> 00:07:23,560 Speaker 1: in those countries, which ramps up to a ten percent 106 00:07:23,920 --> 00:07:27,960 Speaker 1: increase in all cause mortality. Now a ten I don't 107 00:07:27,960 --> 00:07:31,160 Speaker 1: know about you, but for me, a ten percent increase 108 00:07:31,400 --> 00:07:37,480 Speaker 1: in all cause mortality is absolutely freaking massive. I think 109 00:07:37,520 --> 00:07:41,480 Speaker 1: you might remember the big hullabaloo come out a number 110 00:07:41,520 --> 00:07:43,960 Speaker 1: of years ago, and it was all splashed across the 111 00:07:44,000 --> 00:07:48,600 Speaker 1: papers that bacon causes bill cancer. And this was about 112 00:07:49,840 --> 00:07:54,360 Speaker 1: process meets increasing your risk of bill cancer. And that's true, 113 00:07:54,840 --> 00:07:58,560 Speaker 1: that's undeniable. I think the evidence is pretty strong. But 114 00:07:59,240 --> 00:08:03,400 Speaker 1: what it's it was basically an extra fifty grams a 115 00:08:03,520 --> 00:08:09,000 Speaker 1: day of processed meats and increase your risk of ball cancer, 116 00:08:09,040 --> 00:08:15,320 Speaker 1: a single disease, by eighteen percent. This is all cause mortality. 117 00:08:15,440 --> 00:08:20,560 Speaker 1: This is death by any cause, including heart disease, cancer, diabetes, 118 00:08:20,680 --> 00:08:24,440 Speaker 1: all of those things. And when you combine this study 119 00:08:25,080 --> 00:08:28,520 Speaker 1: with the recent Umbrella review that I have talked about 120 00:08:29,120 --> 00:08:32,280 Speaker 1: that looked at all of the different studies that were 121 00:08:32,320 --> 00:08:36,679 Speaker 1: done on ultra processed food so far and basically find 122 00:08:37,040 --> 00:08:43,120 Speaker 1: convincing class one evidence that these foods increase the risk 123 00:08:43,320 --> 00:08:47,040 Speaker 1: of a whole host of different diseases. So, just from memory, 124 00:08:47,120 --> 00:08:50,480 Speaker 1: I think anxiety it was it was something like a 125 00:08:50,640 --> 00:08:55,880 Speaker 1: forty between forty and fifty percent increased risk of cardiovascular disease, 126 00:08:56,000 --> 00:08:59,679 Speaker 1: the biggest killer, Like that's massive. A forty three percent 127 00:08:59,760 --> 00:09:02,880 Speaker 1: increase risk in anxiety it was something along that and 128 00:09:02,920 --> 00:09:06,079 Speaker 1: something like a fifty two percent increased risk in common 129 00:09:06,200 --> 00:09:09,960 Speaker 1: mental health disorders. And this is class one convincing evidence. 130 00:09:10,520 --> 00:09:13,679 Speaker 1: So when we line all of this stuff up, the 131 00:09:13,760 --> 00:09:17,920 Speaker 1: study showing that they disrupt the got microbiome the additives 132 00:09:17,920 --> 00:09:22,080 Speaker 1: in them, as well as this study here and the 133 00:09:22,280 --> 00:09:27,160 Speaker 1: Umbrella review, I think it is very very clear, beyond 134 00:09:27,160 --> 00:09:30,640 Speaker 1: the shadow of a doubt, that ultra processed foods are 135 00:09:30,760 --> 00:09:34,640 Speaker 1: killing us, and they're killing our kids. And the real 136 00:09:34,760 --> 00:09:38,960 Speaker 1: concerning thing for me is the amount of this stuff 137 00:09:39,320 --> 00:09:41,839 Speaker 1: that teenagers eat, and not just to remind you. As 138 00:09:41,840 --> 00:09:45,320 Speaker 1: I said earlier, recent data has shown in the United 139 00:09:45,360 --> 00:09:47,520 Speaker 1: States and in the United Kingdom, and I think it 140 00:09:47,559 --> 00:09:51,720 Speaker 1: would be very very similar in Canada, New Zealand and Australia. 141 00:09:52,400 --> 00:09:57,079 Speaker 1: Sixty six percent of all calories consumed by teenagers are 142 00:09:57,320 --> 00:10:03,360 Speaker 1: ultra process crap. This me is a national health emergency 143 00:10:03,559 --> 00:10:07,400 Speaker 1: and we need to just wake up around this. So 144 00:10:08,000 --> 00:10:11,600 Speaker 1: that's not a very pleasant wisdom Wednesday, but I think 145 00:10:11,640 --> 00:10:16,000 Speaker 1: it is buyer bewre If it looks like it hasn't 146 00:10:16,040 --> 00:10:19,000 Speaker 1: been alive, it's in your treat foods. That's it for 147 00:10:19,000 --> 00:10:20,839 Speaker 1: this week, folks, catch you next time.