Nearly 70% of US Kids’ Calories Come From Ultraprocessed Foods
A new study of the eating habits of U.S. children ages 2 to 19 years old shows that 67% of what they eat is not “real” food at all, but just packaged, flavored, sugared and salt- and carbohydrate-filled ultraprocessed foods.
Although the numbers in 1999 weren’t that much better at 61%, it still wasn’t as bad as it is now. “The largest increase in caloric intake from ultra-processed foods was from ready-to-eat and frozen foods, which sprung from 2.2% to 11.2% of the total calorie consumption,” Gizmodo reported. “The next largest jump was in packaged snacks and desserts, which increased from 10.6% to 12.9% of total consumption. Calories from minimally processed foods fell from 28.8% to 23.5% of total diet.”
If there’s a good side at all, it’s that consumption of sweetened beverages dropped by half, from 10.8% to 5.3% of overall calories. Consumption also varied by race and culture, with non-Hispanic Blacks increasing their consumption of ultraprocessed foods by 10.3%.
The study’s first author, Lu Wang, commented in a press release, “We found that ultraprocessed foods contain a substantially higher percent of calories from carbohydrates and added sugars, and higher levels of sodium, but also had less fiber and a lower percentage of calories from protein.”
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