Research
Mixed
In clinical settings such as hospitals and long-term care, highly processed foods (HPF) are necessary to prevent malnutrition, support recovery, and improve quality of life for residents with poor appetite, chewing, or swallowing difficulties.
In clinical settings, prioritize caloric and nutrient density over strict avoidance of processed foods. Use HPF to help patients with poor appetite or swallowing difficulties meet their nutritional needs and prevent malnutrition, while carefully selecting products to manage sodium content.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
Due to these challenges, there is a place for caloric and nutrient dense foods, some of which are HPF to prevent malnutrition and support recovery.
Why this rating
The paper cites studies on malnutrition prevalence and patient intake barriers in clinical settings.
Source
Guidance and perspectives on highly processed foods
Shirin Panahi et al. · Applied Physiology Nutrition and Metabolism · 2022
DOI 10.1139/apnm-2022-0150
narrative_reviewCited 4×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Highly processed foods (HPF) contribute to excess sodium, saturated fat, and added sugars, which are strongly associated with negative health outcomes including obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.Good
- Avoiding all highly processed foods (HPF) can lead to unintended nutritional deficiencies, such as inadequate fiber and folic acid, because many healthy foods like whole grain bread and ready-to-eat cereals are classified as HPF.Good
Related findings · Mixed
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