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

New research reveals that UK adolescents obtain about two-thirds of their daily calories from ultra-processed foods (UPFs), according to a study funded by NIHR's School for Public Health Research. UPFs typically have poor dietary quality, with high levels of added sugars, saturated fats, and salt, and low levels of fiber, protein, and micronutrients. They are linked to increasing rates of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cancer.

Researchers from the Universities of Cambridge and Bristol analyzed data from four-day food diaries of nearly 3,000 adolescents from the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey. The study, published in the *European Journal of Nutrition*, reviewed trends from 2008/09 to 2018/19. It found that UPFs accounted for 66% of adolescents' energy intake on average, with a slight decrease from 68% to 63% over the decade. UPF consumption was highest among adolescents from deprived backgrounds, those of white ethnicity, and younger age groups.