Ultra-processed Foods A Major Threat In The Growth Of Obesity- Study

The ultra-processed occupy a relatively large space in the diet of Brazilians. Because they are more accessible, they are purchased more frequently when compared to foods considered fresh. According to the II Vigisan report , in Brazil, 33 million people are in a situation of hunger, while 20% of Brazilian adults are obese.

According to Maria Laura da Costa Louzada, researcher and professor at the Department of Nutrition and researcher at the Center for Epidemiological Research in Nutrition and Health at the Faculty of Public Health at USP, the cause of this is not simply the excessive consumption of calories, but rather the replacement of healthy meals for ultra-processed products. “Both are consequences of an unfair food system, dominated by big profit-oriented companies that have no commitment to the production of healthy food,” she says.

The professor points out that people are increasingly aware of the problem of obesity, but individual strategies to try to solve this problem are generally flawed, so it is necessary to change environments to ensure better choices. “ The two cases are far from being consequences of indiscipline and people’s lack of willpower”, she adds. The researcher explains that the prevalence of obesity is recent: “What actually changed was the food system, which profoundly transformed the environment around us. Processed foods are increasingly cheaper and aggressively advertised everywhere.”