NIHR study finds ultra-processed food makes up almost two-thirds of calorie intake of UK adolescents

New research has found that UK adolescents get around two-thirds of their daily calories from ultra-processed foods (UPFs). The research was funded by NIHR's School for Public Health Research.

UPFs tend to be foods with poor dietary quality. This is because they often contain high levels of added sugars, saturated fat and salt. They also tend to have lower levels of fibre, protein and micronutrients. UPFs have been suggested as one of the reasons for rising levels of obesity, type 2 diabetes and cancer.

Researchers from the Universities of Cambridge and Bristol analysed data from four-day food diaries of almost 3,000 adolescents. The data came from the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey.

The researchers looked at trends in the UK between 2008/9 and 2018/19. They found that on average, 66% of adolescents’ energy intake came from UPFs during this period. The data also showed there was a slight fall from 68% to 63% between 2008/09 and 2018/2019. The study has been published in the European Journal of Nutrition. 

The study found that UPF consumption was highest among:

• adolescents from deprived backgrounds
• those of white ethnicity
• younger adolescents

Dr Yanaina Chavez-Ugalde from the Medical Research Council (MRC) Epidemiology Unit at the University of Cambridge, the study’s first author, said: “Adolescents’ food patterns and practices are influenced by many factors, including their home environment, the marketing they are exposed to and the influence of their friends and peers. But adolescence is also an important time in our lives where behaviours begin to become ingrained.”

Dr Esther van Sluijs from the MRC Epidemiology Unit at Cambridge, joint senior author, said: “Ultra-processed foods offer convenient and often cheaper solutions to time- and income-poor families, but unfortunately many of these foods also offer poor nutritional value. This could be contributing to the inequalities in health we see emerging across childhood and adolescence.”

Dr Zoi Toumpakari from the Centre for Exercise, Nutrition and Health Sciences at the University of Bristol, joint senior author, added: “Our findings suggest that disparities in consumption of ultra-processed foods are not just down to individual choices. We hope this evidence can help guide policymakers in designing more effective policies to combat the negative effects of ultra-processed food consumption among youth and the ripple effects this has on public health.