Madeleine Durham is an editor for The Feather Online. As a student-athlete in Track and Field, soccer and color guard, she is also passionate about nutrition and how it impacts the body. Through this column, Durham will be exploring the dangers of processed foods, relevant regulations and practical tips for pursuing nutrition that helps nourish the whole person.
You set the chip bag and energy drink on the counter. The cashier rings up the total as just $7.93. Walking out of Target, you don’t think twice about what you purchased; it was cheap and easy. Everywhere in our society ultra-processed foods line our grocery stores and pantries, yet they come with a dangerous cost to our health.
In America, around 60% of our diet consists of what are known as ultra-processed foods, or UPFs for short. While many have heard the phrase ultra-processed foods, few people are concerned about what they are. UPFs or processed foods, in general, are loaded with added ingredients such as sugars, unhealthy fats, carbohydrates, artificial dyes and preservatives, which reduce the amount of nutrients in the food. By decreasing the amount of nutrients in the food and adding harmful chemicals and sugars, UPFs can cause several health conditions.
Why should high school students be concerned about these foods? Young people have been consuming more processed foods over the past decade, and it’s taking a toll. In 1999, the amount of ultra-processed foods consumed by kids and teenagers was 61.4%; however, the rate rose to 67% in 2018. What might seem like a small 5.6% increase is alarming. These highly-processed foods cover almost 70% of our diet, which causes many problems.
Children now are more obese than they were back in the early 1970s as more than 14 million kids around the U.S. are medically considered obese. Childhood obesity leads to a multitude of problems in adolescence and adulthood. Just like adults, children can develop the same issues, such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and cancers. Obesity in children has tripled since the 70s and steadily increasing every year.
Processed foods include soda and energy drinks, freezer meals, packaged sweets, chips and ice cream. They are everywhere in our everyday lives, from grocery stores to pantries. But these seemingly harmless foods are slowly killing Americans.
Multiple chronic diseases are linked to processed foods, such as:
- Heart Disease
- Some types of Cancer
- Type 2 Diabetes
- Cardiovascular diseases
- Obesity
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Depression and Anxiety
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 37 million people in the United States, or around one in ten Americans have diabetes, along with 96 million people who are prediabetic in the U.S. The rate of this condition has been steadily increasing for decades accompanied by the rising rates of obesity in America. In 2000, approximately 30% of adults were obese, but in 2020, the number had risen to 41.9%. It might not seem like a dramatic change but that is nearly 140 million Americans who are overweight.
You have probably struggled with acne or another skin condition like eczema at some point in your life. Beauty products, genetics, hormones and more are blamed for acne when in reality it can be caused and become worse through poor diet. Dermatological conditions are affected by processed foods in one’s diet. Acne is a common inflammatory skin condition that affects roughly 20% of the global population over the age of 16.
Sugars in processed foods cause a significant amount of inflammation, which worsens acne. Sugar is in almost everything we eat, from cereal to packaged meals. Sugar is addicting, leaving the consumer eager for more, which is why it is added into most processed foods.
My journey through health is challenging, to say the least. Growing up, I was no stranger to health conditions and injuries in my family. When one of my cousins was suddenly diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, it was a shock to our family. He had to be airlifted to another hospital because his condition turned critical. He manages his blood sugar, carrying his insulin wherever he goes.
Just a few years ago, I was diagnosed with multiple vitamin deficiencies leading to problems like anxiety and depression. I struggled silently with no answers until my mom took me to a psychologist, and I went through a series of test.. Since my body doesn’t naturally produce enough vitamins, I have to supplement with vitamin pills and have nutrient-rich foods. This is one of the reasons I took an interest in whole foods and the dangers of processed foods.
Between my cousin and my health conditions, I found that eating better foods and having healthier eating habits makes a difference. While I still have my share of chips and packaged foods, I try to eat the healthiest I can. I want to share my thoughts and experiences with other high school students, athletes and everyone who reads this column. I recognize it’s challenging to completely cut out processed foods, but I do believe we can make small choices that make a big difference. for some foods and limiting our intake of chemically-modified foods can improve health and provide a stepping stone to live a longer life.
Look forward to the next Food for Thought column on synthetic dyes and artificial colorants.
For more from The Feather visit Infographic: Red Dye No. 3 and EDITORIAL: Executive order restores freedom for female athletes.
