Toddlers, specifically those in the United Kingdom, are getting nearly half of their calories from eating ultra-processed food. This share rises to almost 60% among children aged seven, a new study found. Eating ultra-processed foods increases a child's risk of getting type 2 diabetes, among other diseases.
Researchers from the University College London's (UCL) Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care analyzed data from 2,591 children born in the UK between 2007 and 2008. Particularly, the study looked at children whose parents recorded what they ate and drank for over three days.
The analysis revealed that toddlers in the UK got 47% of their calories from ultra-processed food (UPF), which includes cereals, protein bars, fizzy drinks, ready-to-eat meals, and fast food. This number rose to an alarming 59% among children aged seven, per findings published in the European Journal of Nutrition.
What Were the Most Popular UPF Items Among Toddlers?
The most common UPFs among toddlers were flavored yogurts and wholegrain breakfast cereals. Among children aged seven, the most common UPFs were sweet cereals and puddings.
Ultra-processed food items are linked to a higher risk of developing obesity and type 2 diabetes. UPFs are also associated with a 4% increase in all-cause mortality unrelated to cancer or cardiovascular diseases.
It is important to note that the UCL study had several limitations. First, some of the data analyzed were from children born 17 years ago. People of white ethnicity and those of a higher socioeconomic status were also over-represented in the sample analyzed.
That said, the researchers noted that children are unlikely to be consuming less UPFs now than in 2008 or 2014. The researchers are now calling for policies to "redress the balance of children's diets" to reduce UPF, The Guardian reported.
How Much UPFs Do Toddlers in the US Consume
Children in the UK were not the only ones who were getting their calories from UPFs. In the United States, 60% of the American diet involves UPFs. This rises to over 70% among American children, a separate study found, as noted by the New York Post.
The researchers for the US study noted that they are also seeing signs that the current generation of kids may have shorter lifespans than their parents due to their unhealthy diets.
