We all like processed food products (UPF). Besides being easy to cook, they are delicious. As the name implies, this food has gone through a long processing process. They usually contain two or more ingredients. Frozen food products, soft drinks, fast food, biscuits, cakes, and salty snacks are some of the foods considered as UPF

Most UPFs contain many additives, including sugar, salt, fat, colouring agents, and preservatives. These additives may harm your body if consumed in excess. Many studies showed that UPF could increase the risk of several health problems.  According to a recent study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers also found a link between UPF and biological aging by analyzing telomeres. 

Telomeres are structures located at the ends of our chromosomes. Apart from maintaining the integrity of chromosomes, telomeres are also commonly used as an indicator of ageing in the body. As the chromosomes replicate, the telomeres become shorter and less effective. This telomere shortening process is a marker of an individual's biological age at the cellular level. In the study mentioned above, researchers found that UPF is associated with the faster telomere shortening process and cell ageing.

The researchers found that those who liked to consume more than two servings of UPMs per day had a higher risk of telomere shortening of up to 29%. The risk can increase significantly to 82% in those who consume more than three servings of UPMs per day. In addition, the risk of various health problems, including obesity, diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, depression, and death, also increased.

Text by Anggie Triana
Stock photos from Pixabay

Source(s):

• Pedrero, L, A., Rodriguez, A.O., Zalba, G., et al (2020). Ultra-processed food consumption and the risk of short telomeres in an elderly population of the Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra (SUN) Project. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/nqaa075.
• Medical News Today - Ultra-processed foods may accelerate biological aging (2020). https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/ultra-processed-foods-may-accelerate-biological-aging, 14 September 2020.