Research
Mixed
Ultra-processed foods contribute disproportionately to daily energy intake in high-income countries, often exceeding 50% of total calories.
Be aware that in many high-income countries, more than half of the calories consumed come from ultra-processed foods. Reducing this proportion is a key public health goal.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
In Canada, the UK, and the USA, UPF products were estimated to contribute 45.0%, 50.4%, and 57.9% of total energy intake, respectively.
Why this rating
Based on multiple national surveys.
Source
Ultra-processed Foods, Weight Gain, and Co-morbidity Risk
Anthony Crimarco et al. · Current Obesity Reports · 2021
DOI 10.1007/s13679-021-00460-y
narrative_reviewCited 146×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) causes increased energy intake and weight gain compared to whole foods, independent of matched macronutrients.Good
- High consumption of ultra-processed foods is associated with increased risk of obesity, metabolic syndrome, and all-cause mortality in adults.Moderate
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