About half a year back, a new study made the case that probably far too much of the average child‘s diet is composed of ultra-processed food, familiarly known as UPF. Measuring consumption in terms of calorie intake, researchers reckon that for 7-year-olds, processed foods comprise 59% (well over half) of their diets. But just wait until you hear about the younger ones:
Researchers found processed foods made up 47% of toddlers’ calories… The nutritional culprits may not be what you expect. The biggest offenders weren’t ice cream, fries or candy. They were products like high fiber cereals, flavored yogurt, and breads — foods that are often marketed as “healthy.”
Toddlers are commonly understood to be children whose walking skills are not yet fully developed; from one to three or even four years old, depending on whom you ask. Also, to be fair, some babies start to toddle at nine months, so of course they must be included in the classification.
It will come as no surprise, that kids who are set on the UPF path by heedless adults, will probably continue upon it. Most people like to stick with what they already know, so hyper processed it is. But even if they don’t cling to the familiar, that curious adventure-seeking tendency will send them eagerly in pursuit of more exciting junk food. Yet, at the same time, these early adapters to ultra processing are rarely adventurous about exploring ultra-nutritious alternatives to balance out their diets.
Regrettably hooked minors
The consumption of excessively processed foods (and food-adjacent substances) is believed to correlate with an overall higher mortality rate. For instance, research published by the American Journal of Preventive Medicine showed that chowing down on a lot of UPF “increased the risk of premature death from all causes,” and the authors cited numbers:
A new study has found that for each 10% increase in calories from these foods, the risk for premature death increases by almost 3%.
According to a very recent piece published by BBC.com, a study that covered eight countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom (which are the worst two in terms of junk food’s effects on their citizens), suggests a connection between UPF and early death.
One factor that makes it so difficult to keep track is that the typical hyper-processed food tends to contain five or even more ingredients with shady reputations. Sacrificing safety to favor aesthetics, these additives, sweeteners, and other chemicals are tossed in to improve the texture, flavor, eye appeal, or some other aspect of the product. Also, human life is complicated, so the individual’s general dietary preferences, exercise, sleep, medications, and many other factors can affect the equation.
Regrettable limits
This fact is hard to accept, but we have no other choice: To perform really undeniable research in this area would require keeping humans in conditions matching those of experimental laboratory animals, for decades. Because otherwise, there are just too many variables, and too many opportunities for accidental mistakes in reportage, or even deliberate sabotage.
But when people are just living their ordinary human lives, any attempt at strict accounting is vulnerable to colossal amounts of randomness, which is not compatible with good science. The uncontrollable quality of life holds less true with infants and very young, who can sometimes be satisfactorily managed. There is no excuse for not exercising some amount of conscious deliberation in feeding them.
A moment’s consideration will reveal that children whose ambulation is still uncertain, even at the advanced age of four, are probably not able to hike to the convenience store on their own. Also, few of them drive, and even if they did, they might not be able to reach up to the counter to pay for their junk food.
The hard truth is that no child gets hold of UPF unless some nominally responsible adult supplies it to them. Grownups, there is no point in trying to squirm out of responsibility. This is a “you problem.” Please don’t feed those kids junk, or let other people do it either.
Your responses and feedback are welcome!
Source: “Study finds how much ultra-processed foods children are eating,” WBay.com, 11/11/24
Source: “Every Bite of Ultra-Processed Foods May Increase Risk of Early Death, Study Says,” VeryWellHealth.com, 05/05/25
Source: “Ultra-processed foods may be linked to early death,” BBC.com, 04/28/25
Image by angelicavaihel/Pixabay
FAQs and Media Requests: 
