Recently, “Technology and Hard Work” and “Hex Technology” have been frequently searched, and many netizens ridiculed how many kinds of food they have eaten full of “Technology and Hard Work” , while expressing “Irresistible, double the happiness”, and drooling unsatisfactorily…
Potato chips with dried meat, spicy strips and ice cream, and a cup of fat house happy water… These foods that make us dream about have a common name in the NOVA food classification system : Ultra-processed foods (UPF).
Ultra-processed food refers to food that has been processed on the basis of a series of industrial formulas, usually contains a variety of additives, and is generally cannot be made directly. In addition to the well-known “junk food”, some seemingly healthy deep-processed foods in life are actually ultra-processed foods, such as chocolate, breakfast cereal, instant pizza, packaged biscuits, etc.
Things often have two sides. While enjoying convenience and pleasure, it is like boiling a frog in warm water, which corrodes our health bit by bit, and eventually falls deeply. At present, studies have confirmed that the intake of ultra-processed foods (hereinafter referred to as UPF) is directly related to obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, renal dysfunction, cancer, etc., but the impact of UPF in other aspects has not been fully evaluated.
Recently, a well-known journal in the field of nutrition published a research paper entitled Does Consumption of Ultra-Processed Foods Matter for Liver Health? Prospective Analysis among Older Adults with Metabolic Syndrome, titled “UPF High intake is closely related to the occurrence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)” adds to the strong evidence.
In this large prospective cohort study from Spain, 5,867 older participants with overweight/obesity and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in the PREDIMED-Plus trial were enrolled 1-year follow-up. Data were collected by an experienced dietitian at 0, 6, and 12 months from the start of the experiment, and dietary habits and nutrient intake were assessed using a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), using foods specially designed for Hispanics The ingredient table is used to calculate the intake of nutrients including sodium, cholesterol, saturated/trans fatty acids, fiber, alcohol, and total energy intake.
It should be noted that this study divided the 143 foods and beverages in the food frequency questionnaire into 4 groups according to the NOVA system (developed by the University of São Paulo, Brazil): 1) Unprocessed or lightly processed foods ; 2) Processed culinary ingredients; 3) Processed foods; 4) Ultra-processed foods.
fatty liver index (fatty liver index, FLI) and hepatic steatosis index (hepatic steatosis index, HSI)yes The evaluation index for the diagnosis of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has high specificity and sensitivity. FLI and HSI calculations were based on analysis of factors such as BMI, waist circumference, serum triglycerides, GGT, AST/ALT, degree of type 2 diabetes, and gender. NAFLD was defined as FLI ≥ 60 or HSI ≥ 36.
FLI and HIS calculation formulas
At the start of the experiment, participants were divided into 5 groups based on the amount of UPF consumed. Compared with the lowest UPF consumption group (Q1), participants in the highest consumption group (Q5) were younger, had an unhealthy lifestyle, sedentary time, energy intake, saturated/trans fatty acids, cholesterol, sugar intake, BMI, All had higher waist circumferences, lower fiber and alcohol intake, and less adherence to the Mediterranean diet. In addition, the Q5 group showed higher levels of ALT/AST, triglyceride, and NAFLD indicators (FLI and HSI). (Note: The percent UPF consumption is calculated by dividing the grams of UPF food consumed per day by the total grams of all foods consumed per day, and multiplying by 100.)
The initial results of the experiment showed that among the ultra-processed foods, the subjects preferred desserts, non-alcoholic beverages, and processed meats.
Ratio of relative contribution of different food groups to dietary UPF consumption
At follow-up, consumption of unprocessed or lightly processed foods increased in all participants and decreased consumption of more processed foods over time, possibly due to The participants were given a recommendation for a Mediterranean diet.
Analysis of the relationship between UPF consumption and NAFLD indicators shows that a 10% increase in daily UPF consumption can significantly increase FLI and HSI! The analysis was further adjusted to remove the effects of other factors, including nutritional quality of the diet, BMI, and waist circumference, and the final results showed that UPF consumption was statistically significantly associated with changes in NAFLD markers.
The relationship between UPF consumption and NAFLD indicators
Through the mediation effect analysis, the researchers found that in terms of nutritional factors, adherence to the Mediterranean diet had the greatest impact on FLI and HSI, accounting for 58% and 43%, respectively, while sodium intake, cholesterol Intake and total energy intake had little effect on either. In terms of NAFLD-related biomarkers, BMI and waist circumference had a greater impact on FLI and HSI. This finding provides new insights into the diagnosis and treatment of NAFLD.
The effect of changes in UPF components on NAFLD indicators
To sum up, the results of this study are consistent with the results of the TCLSIH prospective cohort study in China, and it is more convinced that a large intake of UPF has an indelible effect on the development of NAFLD disease.
So why does eating ultra-processed foods have such a big impact on the liver?
Based on this, the researchers proposed several potential mechanisms of action, including the poor nutritional properties of UPF (high saturated and trans fatty acid content, low dietary fiber content, etc.), the use of Additives are harmful to the liver, replace the intake of healthy foods and indirectly lead to excessive accumulation of lipids in the liver, etc., which may be the reasons for the “liver and intestines” of consumers.
In recent years, more and more food processing and health risks have been exposed to the public, and this study provides new evidence for dietary recommendations and food policy development. At present, the choice of treatment for NAFLD is still controversial. This article further demonstrates the importance of dietary adjustment in the management of NAFLD. Consider reducing the consumption of UPF and prefer fresh or minimally processed foods as an effective treatment for NAFLD. Prevention and treatment strategies.
The operation of the body is like a machine, maintenance is not a day’s work, and damage is not a day’s cold. Eating a large amount of ultra-processed food for a long time may be a temporary relief, but it has really buried a real hidden danger to the body. It is simply “I think it is honey, but it is arsenic”!
But it’s important to note that food processing technology is not always negative, it can give us a longer shelf life and a better taste on the tongue, as long as we keep the principle of moderation in mind , to reduce the intake within the scope of our ability, we can protect our tree of health from being “eaten by insects”!
Reference Source:
Jadwiga Konieczna, et al. Does Consumption of Ultra-Processed Foods Matter for Liver Health? Prospective Analysis among Older Adults with Metabolic Syndrome. nutrients. 2022
Writing｜Aoba
Editing｜Little Ears