Public Health Program, Marion Peckham Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies, Fairfield University, Fairfield, CT, USA.
Department of Public Health Policy and Management, School of Global Public Health, New York University, New York, NY, USA.
Nutr Rev. 2024 Oct 1;82(10):1402-1406. doi: 10.1093/nutrit/nuad126.
South Asians are among the fastest growing immigrant population groups in the United States. Their traditional diets are rich in minimally processed fruits, vegetables, grains, herbs, and spices. However, the proliferation of ultra-processed foods (highly processed, industrially manufactured formulations) around the globe may compromise the nutrition profile of South Asians, threatening to increase their risk of noncommunicable diseases. This commentary discusses the rise in ultra-processed food consumption among South Asians in the United States and hypothesizes that South Asians may be especially vulnerable to the effects of ultra-processed foods due to their unique cardiovascular disease risk profiles. Using these emerging data, we propose several strategies for preventing the overconsumption of ultra-processed foods among South Asian Americans. These include the implementation of policies to encourage the consumption of whole foods over ultra-processed foods and the development of culturally tailored interventions, which include promoting consumption of traditional diets, improving affordability of healthful, culturally appropriate foods, and cultivating healthier food environments for South Asians living in the United States.
南亚人是美国增长最快的移民群体之一。他们的传统饮食富含经过最少加工的水果、蔬菜、谷物、香草和香料。然而，全球超加工食品（高度加工、工业化制造的配方）的泛滥可能会损害南亚人的营养状况，增加他们患非传染性疾病的风险。本评论讨论了美国南亚人超加工食品消费的增长，并假设南亚人由于其独特的心血管疾病风险状况，可能特别容易受到超加工食品的影响。利用这些新出现的数据，我们提出了一些预防南亚裔美国人过度食用超加工食品的策略。这些策略包括实施鼓励消费全食而非超加工食品的政策，以及制定文化适应的干预措施，包括促进传统饮食的消费，提高健康、文化适宜食品的可负担性，以及为生活在美国的南亚人营造更健康的食品环境。
