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Research Papers
Monitoring and surveillance
A substantial part of the foodstuffs we now consume have been industrially processed(1-3). The concept of industrial food processing refers to all methods and techniques used by the food and drink industry to turn whole foods into food products(3,4). Industrial processing aims to increase shelf-life, palatability and transportability of foods, and often lowers the nutritional quality while also increasing energy density(2). Industrially produced foods referred to as ultra-processed products include ready-made snacks and sweets, soft drinks, ready-to-eat/heat products and junk food(3-5).
Industrially processed products currently make up 75 % of world food sales(2,6). Ultra-processed foodstuffs dominate the food supply of high-income countries(7), with relative growth being highest in the emerging markets of low- and middle-income countries(6,8). Important drivers of this development are big transnational food and drink corporations, aggressive marketing, demographic shifts including increased female labour-force participation and delayed marriage, and changes in food behaviours such as less frequent family meals and increased snacking(6,8,9).
The health impact of the recent dominance of industrially processed foods in the diet remains uncertain as not enough epidemiological and intervention studies specifically designed for this purpose have been carried out(1). Nevertheless, conclusive evidence does exist for some specific processed foods: sugar-sweetened beverages are a major contributor to childhood obesity, weight gain, CVD and type 2 diabetes; industrially produced trans fats present in processed foods negatively affect cardiovascular health; and processed meats are associated with increased risk of mortality (CVD and cancer related) and some types of cancers(10-24). Furthermore, observational studies have found processed junk food to be positively associated with energy intake, weight gain and insulin resistance(25-27).
The current study aimed to investigate the consumption of ultra-processed products in Sweden from 1960 onwards and to see whether such changes were reflected in the national obesity statistics for the same time period.
Methods
Data overview
To clarify trends in processed food intake and...