Maha report on children’s health highlights the damage to ultra -for -esteem food – a food scientist explains research

May 22, 2025, The White House has published a new report Underline what he claims are the causes of chronic diseases in children.

The reporting of many themes that have emerged as Priorities for Make America in good health again, or MahaMovement promoted by the Secretary of Health and Social Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

One of the main areas of interest is the negative effects on the health of ultra -proposed food. The report highlights the prevalence of ultra -proposed food in the American diet as a key contributor to chronic disease in children and quote research that finds that Almost 70% of the children’s diet And 50% of pregnant and postpartum regimes for women In the United States, are made up of ultra-approved foods.

The conversation we asked for Paul Dawson, food scientist at Clemson UniversityTo explain how the government’s position on the prejudices of ultra -approved foods place with science.

What are ultra -intensive foods?

The concerns that the ingredients used by food manufacturers can contribute to chronic disease for the first time in the 1970s and 1980s, when research began to link food consumption transformed to Growing obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The term “ultraproced food” dates back to the 1980s And was used to describe foods and convenience snacks that contained high quantities of additives and had low nutritional value.

While the research on the health effects of ultra -forecusesdus food has started to build, experts in public health and the food industry have debated the sense of the term. Increasingly, researchers are content to define ultra -approved food on the basis of a frame called the Nova food classification systemCreated in 2009 by nutrition researchers in Brazil. The framework attributes food to one of the four groups according to the level of transformation they undergo:

• Group 1 – Non -processed or processed foods: This category includes raw fruits, vegetables and meats that can be cleaned, frozen or fermented but remain close to their natural state.

• Group 2 – Transformed culinary ingredients: Think of salt, sugar, oils and other ingredients extracted from nature and used to cook and flavor food.

• Group 3 – Processed foods: Foods in this category are made by adding ingredients such as salt or sugar to groups of group 1 – For example, canned vegetables or cheese.

• Group 4 – UltraProcested Foods: These are mainly foods that contain ingredients that are not found in typical cuisine, such as hydrogenated oils, modified starchs, flavored amplifiers, color additives and preservatives. The examples include fries, sodas, candy bars and many frozen meals, which are designed to be hyper-pale and often poor in nutrients.

What does research on ultra -approved food say?

An increasing set of research links ultra -forese food with many negative health resultsincluding obesity,, Type 2 diabetes,, cardiovascular disease,, cancer And cognitive decline. A problem is that these products are generally Rich in added sugar, sodium, saturated fats and chemical additivesAnd low in fiber, vitamins and essential micronutrients.

But some studies also suggest that what makes these foods harmful is not only the ingredients but also how they are manufactured. Indeed, the industrial treatment of fats and starchs can produce harmful compounds. For example, a substance called acroleine, formed when oils are heated to high temperatures, was linked to DNA damage. Studies also note that Packaging and plastics microparticlesnow found in the air, water and food, can disrupt the intestinal microbiomeA key player in immune and metabolic health.

A disadvantage of nutrition studies is that They often rely on self -declared food datawhich can be inaccurate. They can also have confusion that is difficult to take into account, such as lifestyle models. However, the consistency of results through various populations Gives credibility to increasing concerns On ultra -approved foods.

A significant warning, however, is that all ultra -intensive foods are not created equal. They vary in the way in which they are nutritious, and certain ultra -approved foods play an important role for vulnerable populations. For example, food containing the Self -Singomalt slow -free carbohydrates Help people with diabetes prevent blood sugar peaks and Hypoallergenic infant formula Can save life for infants who cannot digest milk at a young age.

How does the Maha report correspond to current food directives?

The report echoes the key themes of 2020-2025 Food lines for AmericansA document published jointly by the departments of agriculture and health and social services every five years. The MAHA report and federal directives encourage the consumption of whole nutrient foods.

A critical difference between them is that the 2020-2025 food guidelines are made no mention of ultra-approved foods. Some public health experts have noted that This omission can reflect the influence of the food industry.

What happens next?

Kennedy said that a follow -up report describing potential political strategy and political reforms to combat chronic childhood disease will be released in mid-August 2025.

However, it is unlikely that the change is simple. Ultra -approval foods represent an important industry and policies that question their importance may meet the resistance of influential commercial interests. For decades, US agricultural subsidies,, food policy And consumers supported mass production and the consumption of ultra -approved food. The inversion of their overconsumption will require structural changes in the way food is produced, distributed and consumed in the United States