Concern over public health fuelled by studies linking UPF to raised blood pressure, heart attacks and strokes
Health experts have ramped up calls to improve the national diet in the wake of research that paints a worrying picture of the harms linked to the consumption of ultra-processed food (UPF).
Doctors, scientists and dieticians say a wide-ranging and comprehensive effort is needed to boost public health, with strategies to combat the aggressive marketing of UPF, remove the food industry’s influence over policymaking and make sure healthy foods are affordable, accessible and enjoyable.
Group one foods are minimally processed or unprocessed such as whole fruit and vegetables, fresh meat and fish.
Group two foods are processed ingredients such as salt, sugar and oils.
Group three covers processed foods such as tinned fruit and vegetables.
Group four are the ultra-processed foods: sweet and savoury snacks, ready meals, soft drinks and other items that often have little if any intact food from group one. On average, UPF makes up half of the UK diet.
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