Thirty-nine percent of respondents to a recent online survey incorrectly believed that all processed foods are unhealthy, according to new research by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine published in JAMA Network Open.
When asked which foods increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, 51% of respondents cited sugar, 19% mentioned desserts, and 7% pointed to carbohydrates in general, all inaccurately.
The survey, conducted online by the Physicians Committee and Morning Consult, included 2,174 U.S. adults from Dec. 13-15, 2024. Ultra-processed foods can either reduce or increase diabetes risk, depending on the type. Research shows that it is processed meats, not plant-based ultra-processed foods like breakfast cereals, that are linked to diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
The findings come as the American Medical Association adopts a new policy supporting public education on the differences between healthful and unhealthful ultra-processed foods. Meanwhile, the FDA is preparing to release a Request for Information to gather stakeholder input on defining ultra-processed foods.
Although the NOVA classification system developed in Brazil in 2010 is widely used to categorise ultra-processed foods, the FDA has yet to adopt its own formal definition. A federal definition could eventually guide updates to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which set nutritional standards for the National School Lunch Program and other federal nutrition initiatives.
A clear, evidence-based federal definition of ultra-processed foods is essential to avoid adding to public confusion. Science shows that ultra-processed foods vary significantly: some are linked to health risks, while others are linked to health benefits. For example, a Harvard study found that frequent consumption of processed meat was associated with a 44% higher risk of type 2 diabetes, while consumption of ultra-processed cereals was linked to a 22% lower risk. Similarly, a recent BMC study found that moderate consumption of muesli and bran cereals was associated with lower mortality from cardiovascular disease and cancer.
Animal products remain a leading source of saturated fat in the American diet. Diets high in saturated fat, not carbohydrates, have been shown to reduce insulin sensitivity within four weeks, even without changes in body weight, in individuals with normal baseline insulin sensitivity.
Public perceptions mirror these misconceptions. A 2023 survey found that perceptions of food unhealthfulness strongly correlated with perceived levels of “processing.” Most younger respondents failed to recognise processed meats as “processed foods” and did not associate them with increased diabetes risk, despite the rising incidence of type 2 diabetes in this age group.
The vague label ‘processed foods’ should be replaced with terms that reflect the actual health effects of specific foods. Some processed, plant-based foods, such as cereals and canned vegetables and fruits, are precisely what people need to prevent chronic diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Source: Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine
Image Credit: iStock
