Location: Healthy Body Weight Research
Title: Building healthy dietary patterns with ultra-processed foodsAuthor
Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only Publication Acceptance Date: 7/13/2023 Publication Date: 7/13/2023 Citation: Hess, J.M. 2023. Building healthy dietary patterns with ultra-processed foods. FoodFluence Conference (vitural follow-up presentation July 13, 2023). Interpretive Summary: Technical Abstract: The purpose of this presentation was to present methods and results of a study conducted to see whether it is possible to develop a healthy dietary pattern that includes mostly “ultra-processed” foods. Ultra-processed foods and their impact on health is one of the topics that the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) Scientific Advisory Committee will be exploring. However, there is not a clear definition for what an “ultra-processed food” is. A system called “NOVA” (not an acronym) is widely used to categorize foods by their level of processing on a scale from 1 to 4, where “1” means a food is unprocessed/minimally processed and “4” indicates an “ultra-processed” food. Yet several nutrient-dense foods like sweetened yogurt and whole grain breads are considered “ultra-processed” on the NOVA scale. We were able to create a 7-day menu that aligns with the DGA, includes 91% of its energy (kcal) from “ultra-processed” foods, has a high diet quality score (86 out of 100), and provides adequate amounts of most nutrients. Healthy diets can include most of their energy from ultra-processed foods according to NOVA. |