Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) such as ready-made meals, packaged bread, energy bars, and chips make up nearly half of the average Australian’s diet, researchers have found.
Nutrition experts compared global diets, finding that Australia, the UK and the U.S. consume the most calories from UPFs.
UPFs have been linked to illness and environmental damage.
Some researchers argue the Australian Health Star Rating system (HSR) is “misleading” consumers.
UPFs
The NOVA classification system categorises food products into groups based on their level of processing. The highest category, four, is given to ultra-processed foods.
UPFs usually contain five or more ingredients, often from food-derived substances and additives rather than whole foods.
They typically contain flavours, colours, artificial sweeteners, and emulsifiers.
Examples include soft drinks, ice cream, confectionery, packaged snacks and bread, and frozen meals.
Co-author and Deakin University researcher Dr Priscila Machado said that high UPF consumption “is driven by corporations... [and] our system is really not helping.”
Researchers recommend government policies that discourage UPF production and marketing, while making fresh and minimally processed foods more available and affordable.
They suggest warning labels on packaging that identify UPFs, a policy used in some Latin American countries.
Study
A series of three global studies shows that UPF consumption is the highest in Australia, the U.S. and the UK, accounting for 50% of total calories consumed.
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Researchers looked at 104 studies to support an association between UPF-high diets and an increased risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, chronic kidney disease and depression.
The studies also show the environmental impact of UPFs, through plastic packaging and palm oil production.
Health Star Rating
The HSR system was introduced in 2014 through a collaboration between the Australian, NZ, and state and territory governments, along with industry, public health and consumer groups.
It rates food in half-star increments from zero to five stars, based on the amount of fibre, sugar, sodium, saturated fat, energy (kilojoules) and protein it has. Here’s an example:
HSRs are voluntary, meaning companies can opt in to labelling their products with a rating.
Dr Machado said the system is “quite ineffective” due to it being “co-opted by the industry”.
The algorithm that informs HSRs“doesn’t really consider the role of food processing”, leading to 75% of UPFs having a rating of 2.5 stars or more, according to Dr Machado’s latest research.
She called the self-regulation of the HSR “misleading,” and recommended consumers “choose whole foods and freshly-made meals instead of UPFs.”
Response
A federal Health Department spokesperson said the system is based on the Australian Dietary Guidelines, “which do not specifically reference ultra-processed foods.”
However, they said “most ultra-processed foods are high in sugar, salt, saturated fat and energy” and “tend to receive low ratings”.
The spokesperson added that the system “was developed by experts... [who] did not represent their organisations”.
