Kids eating processed foods are gaining calories

We keep saying that heat-and-eat snacks, sweets and desserts are bad for kids, but now we also have the supporting data. The Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University, Massachusetts, USA published two decades of research results to prove that calorie intake among kids have gone up and ultra-processed foods are the main culprits.  

What does the report say? 
From 1999 to 2018, the calories that children and adolescents consumed from ultraprocessed foods went up from 61% to 67% of total calorie intake. The Tufts University team published the report on August 10, 2021 in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). It was a massive analysis of dietary intakes and habits of 33, 795 children and teens across USA. The largest spike in calories came from frozen pizza, burgers and other heat-and-eat foods. In 20 years, calorie intake for this category rose from 2.2% to 11.2%. At the same time, calorie intake from sugary cold drinks dropped by 51%, which is a ray of hope.  

What are ultra-processed foods and how do they affect kids? 
Ultra-processed foods are ready-to-eat or heat-and-eat packaged items. These often have high degrees of sugar, sodium, and carbohydrates, and are low in fibre, protein, vitamins, and minerals. They also contain hydrogenated oils, preservatives and flavour enhancers. Packaged sweet snacks and desserts that kids love so much, sweetened breakfast cereals, French fries, fast food burgers, and some types of processed meats come under this category. In India, the category is wider as it contains an additional variety of traditional sweets and vegetarian snacks. When consumed in excess, these foods can cause diabetes, obesity, dental damage, fatty liver, and in some cases, certain cancers. 

What can be done to counter the calorie boom?  
Consuming fresh products, more fibre, less sugar and less oil is an option. But we cannot leave out processed foods altogether. The same study has suggested that processed whole grain breads and dairy products are healthier. These can be included in daily diet. Potato chips and similar processed foods are calorie storehouses, these should be avoided.