Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
Diabetes Metab J. 2024 Nov;48(6):1047-1055. doi: 10.4093/dmj.2024.0659. Epub 2024 Nov 21.
The consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) has surged globally, raising significant public health concerns due to their associations with a range of adverse health outcomes. This review aims to elucidate potential health impacts of UPF intake and underscore the importance of considering diet quality when interpreting study findings. UPF group, as classified by the Nova system based on the extent of industrial processing, contains numerous individual food items with a wide spectrum of nutrient profiles, as well as differential quality as reflected by their potential health effects. The quality of a given food may well misalign with the processing levels so that a UPF food can be nutritious and healthful whereas a non-UPF food can be of low quality and excess intake of which may lead to adverse health consequences. The current review argues that it is critical to focus on the nutritional content and quality of foods and their role within the overall dietary pattern rather than only the level of processing. Further research should dissect health effects of diet quality and food processing, investigate the health impacts of ingredients that render the UPF categorization, understand roles of metabolomics and the gut microbiome in mediating and modulating the health effects of food processing, and consider environmental sustainability in UPF studies. Emphasizing nutrient-dense healthful foods and dietary patterns shall remain the pivotal strategy for promoting overall health and preventing chronic diseases.
超加工食品（UPFs）的消费在全球范围内呈飙升趋势，由于它们与一系列不良健康后果有关，引起了重大的公众健康关注。本综述旨在阐明 UPF 摄入的潜在健康影响，并强调在解释研究结果时考虑饮食质量的重要性。根据 Nova 系统基于工业加工程度的分类，UPF 组包含许多具有广泛营养谱的单个食品，以及反映其潜在健康影响的不同质量。给定食品的质量可能与其加工水平不一致，因此 UPF 食品可能具有营养性和健康性，而非 UPF 食品可能质量较低，摄入过量可能会导致不良健康后果。本综述认为，关注食品的营养成分和质量及其在整体饮食模式中的作用，而不仅仅是加工水平，至关重要。进一步的研究应该剖析饮食质量和食品加工对健康的影响，研究使 UPF 分类的成分对健康的影响，了解代谢组学和肠道微生物组在调节和调节食品加工健康影响方面的作用，并考虑 UPF 研究中的环境可持续性。强调营养丰富的健康食品和饮食模式仍将是促进整体健康和预防慢性疾病的关键策略。
