Rina Smith
Washington High School
May 11th, 2025
The consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPF) has increased drastically in recent years, to the point where they currently make up 70% of the average American diet (Menichetti et al., 2023). UPF is defined as manufactured products made mostly from extracted, modified, or lab-created food ingredients, including carbonated soft drinks, packaged snacks, breakfast cereals, and pre-prepared pizza (Monteiro et al., 2021). Although people have a vague understanding that UPF is unhealthy, the specific effects of eating these foods are not well known. There are many consequences to consuming UPF, such as obesity, mental illnesses, and cognitive issues.
The consumption of UPF significantly contributes to weight gain and obesity, which is currently a major global healthcare concern. According to a research paper from the National Library of Medicine, “All eight prospective studies in one systematic [review] demonstrated positive associations with abdominal obesity and [general] obesity” (Dicken & Batterham, 2024). A possible mechanism behind this is that certain aspects of UPFs disrupt regular appetite regulations and distort the connection between taste and nutrients, which promotes faster eating (Dicken & Batterham, 2024). It is also suggested that ultra-processing foods can heavily break down the natural structure of the food, such as the way its fibers, cells, or layers are organized, which makes the food “softer and easier to consume quickly” (Dicken & Batterham, 2024). Although the mechanism behind this is not confirmed by scientific research and is yet to be determined, the statistical evidence strongly supports a link between the consumption of UPF and obesity.
Moreover, UPF has been associated with mental illnesses, especially depression. A study conducted by Samuthpongtorn et al. (2023) examined the possibility that UPF and its components are linked to an increased risk of developing depression over time. The theory was tested by estimating the UPF intake of middle-aged females, assessed from validated food frequency questionnaires (Samuthpongtorn et al., 2023). The results of this study were that they “identified 2,122 incident cases of depression using the strict definition and 4,840 incident cases using the broad definition” (Samuthpongtorn et al., 2023). This research also concluded that individuals with high intakes of artificial sweeteners and artificially sweetened beverages showed a significantly greater risk of developing depression compared to those with low intakes (Samuthpongtorn et al., 2023). Researchers state that artificial sweeteners activate signaling pathways in the brain, which may contribute to the development and progression of depression (Samuthpongtorn et al., 2023). This indicates that “greater UPF intake, particularly artificial sweeteners and artificially sweetened beverages, is associated with increased risk of depression” (Samuthpongtorn et al., 2023).
Additionally, people who consume UPF have an increased risk of developing dementia. Researchers estimated the “association between the proportion (%) of UPF in the diet and the subsequent risk of dementia” (Li et al., 2022) by assessing “72,083 participants (55 years or older) who were free from dementia at baseline and provided at least 2 times 24-hour dietary assessments from the UK Biobank study” (Li et al., 2022). This study found that over an average follow-up of 10 years, 518 participants developed dementia. Among these participants, 287 developed Alzheimer’s disease, which is primarily caused by the buildup of abnormal proteins in the brain, and 119 developed vascular dementia, which is caused by the blood flow to the brain being impaired (Li et al., 2022). Dr. Rosa Sancho, Head of Research at Alzheimer’s Research UK, states that researchers suggest the correlation between UPF and these cognitive problems is due to how “these diets involve lower levels of important nutrients like fibre, because they include too much sugar and sodium, or because they may lead to high blood pressure or inflammation, which can be bad for long-term brain health” (Tran, 2022). The evidence highlights the potential long-term cognitive risks associated with the consumption of UPF.
To conclude, the overconsumption of UPF poses serious risks to both physical and mental health, including obesity, mental illnesses such as depression, and cognitive issues including dementia. These risks are often overlooked, since the specific health impacts of UPF are poorly understood by the public. This lack of awareness makes it even more important to recognize that the serious and long-term consequences of a high-UPF diet cannot be ignored. Reducing UPF consumption and establishing a healthy, nutrient-dense diet will significantly improve one’s overall health and prevent major diseases in the future.
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References
Dicken, S. J., & Batterham, R. L. (2024, January 31). Ultra-processed Food and Obesity: What Is the Evidence? Current Nutrition Reports, 13, 23–38. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13668-024-00517-z
Li, H., Li, S., Yang, H., Zhang, Y., Zhang, S., Ma, Y., Hou, Y., Zhang, X., Niu, K., Borné, Y., & Wang, Y. (2022, July 27). Association of Ultraprocessed Food Consumption With Risk of Dementia. Neurology, 99(10). https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000200871
Menichetti, G., Ravandi, B., Mozaffarian, D., & Barabási, A. L. (2023, April 21). Machine learning prediction of the degree of food processing. Nature Communications, 14. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-37457-1
Monteiro, C., Cannon, G., & Lawrence, M. (2021). The NOVA Food Classification System. ECU Physicians. Retrieved May 4, 2025.
Samuthpongtorn, C., Nguyen, L. H., & Okereke, O. I. (2023, September 20). Consumption of Ultraprocessed Food and Risk of Depression. JAMA Network Open, 6(9). https://doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.34770
Tran, Q. (2022, July 27). Diet High in Ultra-Processed Foods Linked To a Higher Risk of Dementia. Alzheimer’s Research UK. Retrieved May 5, 2025.