According to a new study, children whose diets consist of ultra-processed foods (UPF) begin to show early signs of poor cardiovascular health and diabetes risks as early as age three.
Ultra-processed foods are foods that contain high amounts of sugar, fat, and industrial food chemicals (such as preservatives and emulsifiers). Experts have long linked these foods to health problems in older adults.
However, the latest research suggests that children are also at serious risk from this diet.
In the study, Spanish experts compared the health of nearly 1,500 children between the ages of three and six to see how much of their diet consisted of ultra-processed foods.
The study found that children who ate more ultra-processed foods had higher body mass index (BMI), waistline, fat mass and blood sugar scores than those who ate less. There were possibilities.
All four measurements mentioned are risk factors for type 2 diabetes. The condition affects middle-aged people and increases the risk of heart attack, stroke and blindness.
The study, published in the journal JAMA Network Open, found that children who ate more ultra-processed foods had lower levels of HDL cholesterol than those who ate fresh foods.
HDL, also known as good cholesterol, is known to help protect cardiovascular health. Low levels of this cholesterol are associated with cardiovascular disease.
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