• Ice cream and other confections are ultra-processed foodsMartin Parr/Magnum Photos Ice cream and other confections are ultra-processed foods Martin Parr/Magnum Photos A few months ago, I tried my hand, unsuccessfully, at coining a neologism. • I was writing afeature about how obesity, stress, heatwaves and pollution accelerate ageing, or senescence, in which I proposed that our modern world should be called the “senesogenic environment”. • (I hold my hands up that this was inspired by the well-established idea that we live in an obesity-promoting, or “obesogenic”, environment, but nobody ever invented anything in a vacuum.) It didn’t stick. • The only reference I can find to it online is my article, anda blog post about my article. • I’d like to have another go, because I missed an important contributor to premature ageing: ultra-processed foods (UPFs). • Read moreA new measure of health is revolutionising how we think about ageing Read more A new measure of health is revolutionising how we think about ageing For anyone who has been living under a rock for the past few years,UPFsare a class of foodstuffs that have been, er, ultra-processed.
Article Summaries:
- Ultra‑processed foods (UPFs) - pre‑packaged items high in sugar, salt, fat and additives - now appear to accelerate biological ageing. A 2024 study of 16,055 U.S. adults (ages 20‑79) using National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data (2003‑2010) found that higher UPF intake was associated with markers of premature senescence. The research adds to a growing body of evidence linking UPFs to obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and increased all‑cause mortality. While the exact mechanisms remain unclear, hypotheses include the obesogenic nature of these foods, their poor nutrient profile, and potential toxins from processing and packaging. The findings suggest that reducing UPF consumption could help slow ageing and improve long‑term health.
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