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India Today
04-07-2025
- Health
- India Today
Increase prices of sugary drinks, alcohol, tobacco by 50%: WHO
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has called on nations to raise the prices of sugary drinks, alcohol, and tobacco by 50% over the next ten recommendation, introduced at the UN Finance for Development conference in Seville, is part of a new initiative aiming to curb chronic health issues and generate revenue for health systems WHO believes that by implementing these taxes, countries can reduce the consumption of harmful products that contribute to diseases like diabetes and some cancers. This move is seen as a critical step in addressing public health challenges Jeremy Farrar, WHO's assistant-director general of health promotion and disease prevention, emphasised the importance of these health taxes, stating, "Health taxes are one of the most efficient tools we have. It's time to act."The WHO's strategic plan, known as "3 by 35", targets the potential to raise $1 trillion by 2035 from this taxation policy. Such a substantial financial boost could be pivotal for countries struggling with diminishing development aid and increasing public Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus highlighted that these taxes could enable governments to "adjust to the new reality" and bolster their health systems amidst shrinking development approach not only targets health improvements but also seeks to provide economic resilience for health health economist Guillermo Sandoval explained that, in practical terms, the price of a taxed product in a middle-income country could rise from $4 today to $10 by 2035, taking inflation into proposal follows evidence from countries like Colombia and South Africa, where similar taxes have successfully increased prices and reduced consumption. The initiative also suggests that such fiscal measures can be a powerful tool for health the WHO's recommendation has met opposition from industry representatives. Kate Loatman, executive director of the International Council of Beverages Associations, criticised the policy: "It's deeply concerning that the WHO continues to disregard over a decade of clear evidence showing that taxing sugar-sweetened beverages has never improved health outcomes or reduced obesity in any country." WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus highlighted that these taxes could enable governments to These criticisms highlight the ongoing debate about the effectiveness of taxation as a public health Berger, senior vice president of science and research at the Distilled Spirits Council, echoed these concerns, saying, "The WHO's suggestion that raising taxes will prevent alcohol-related harm is misguided."The response from the industry suggests potential challenges in implementing WHO's proposed tax increases. The pushback from these sectors underscores the complexity of balancing economic interests with public health these criticisms, the tax initiative has garnered support from Bloomberg Philanthropies, the World Bank, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).advertisementThese organisations express readiness to assist countries wishing to adopt the tax measures. Their support is crucial in providing the necessary resources and expertise for effective nearly 140 countries have already raised tobacco taxes by over 50% between 2012 and 2022, the WHO is also exploring broader taxation measures on ultra-processed approach may face further pushback, but it underscores WHO's commitment to using fiscal policies to improve public health. The agency's efforts reflect a broader strategy to combat non-communicable diseases through innovative financial this, in April, 2025, a national consortium led by India's premier medical panel sought a health tax on foods high in fat, sugar and salt as well as stricter rules around food marketing to obesity rates rising among adolescents in India, the group led by the Indian Council of Medical Research- National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR-NIN), called for urgent action to improve the food environment for young group urged a ban on selling foods high in fat, sugar and salt in canteens and near educational institutions, as provided in guidelines by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).- EndsTune InMust Watch
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
What are the worst ultra-processed foods? What to know as clusters of additives linked to type 2 diabetes, new study finds
This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Contact a qualified medical professional before engaging in any physical activity, or making any changes to your diet, medication or lifestyle. Ultra-processed foods are a major part of the Canadian diet, meaning many people are consuming lots of additives that do anything from adding flavour or colour in drinks, to extending the shelf-life of certain products. There's little research on how these additives impact health, but one new study has indicated consuming certain clusters is linked to an increase in type 2 diabetes. The research, published Tuesday in PLOS Medicine, analyzed data from more than 108,000 participants who took part in a study from NutriNet-Santé. Researchers asked each person their dietary intake to create a database of known additives they're already consuming. Nutritional information was then compared to medical records through December 2023 to see who developed type 2 diabetes. There were five clusters of additives most frequently ingested by participants of the study, and two mixtures were linked to a modest increase of risk for diabetes. This was regardless of the diet's nutritional quality, as well as the person's sociodemographic and lifestyle factors. Foods in the first cluster include a mixture of the following additives, which may be found in products like creamy dairy desserts, fat-based sauces and broths: Modified starches Pectin Guar gum Carrageenan Polyphosphates Potassium sorbates Curcumin Xanthan gum The second cluster of additives is often found in sugary and artificially sweetened drinks. The mixture features the following additives: Citric acid Sodium citrates Phosphoric acid Sulfite ammonia caramel Acesulfame potassium or Ace-K Aspartame Sucralose Arabic gum Malic acid Carnauba wax Paprika extract Anthocyanins Guar gum Pectin The study, which the International Council of Beverages Associations told CNN was "absurd" and "highly misleading," comes after other research published in late February indicated nearly four in 10 heart disease and stroke deaths are linked to consuming ultra-processed foods. "More than one-third of all cardiovascular events — or 38 per cent — were associated with ultra-processed food consumption in 2019," Virginie Hamel a dietitian and PhD candidate at the Université de Montréal who worked on this study, previously told Yahoo Canada. "This study ... shows how ultra-processed foods are a major component of the burden of heart disease and stroke in Canada." The estimated 38 per cent of cardiovascular events linked to ultra-processed food consumption includes more than 96,000 cases of heart disease and stroke, 55 per cent of which were men. There were also more than 17,400 deaths, where 52 per cent were men. The study also found Canadians over age 20 have diets where these products make up more than 43 per cent of their total daily energy intake. Now, researchers are pushing for more change and new policies, especially around regulating how ultra-processed foods are marketed to children. Hamel said the researchers looked at prior studies of ultra-processed foods Canadians consume most often. "According to the most-recent representative data from 2015 in Canada, one of the most ultra-processed foods is commercial bread," she added. However, she said some of the other more common ultra-processed foods Canadians consume include chips, frozen meals, cakes, cookies, pies and soft drinks. Other ultra-processed foods may include: Sweetened breakfast cereals and oatmeals Reconstituted meat products like hot dogs and fish sticks Powdered and packaged soups Candy Protein bars and shakes Boxed pasta products Ice cream and sweetened yogurt Margarine and spreads like cream cheese According to Hamel, processed foods are products that might include sugar, salt or oil before they're packaged for sale. This is done to increase a product's preservation, but typically no other additives are included and the processing is more simple. On the other hand, ultra-processed foods have "many processing steps" — like extrusion, moulding and milling — as well as "additives we may never have in the kitchen," she explained. When it comes to ultra-processed foods, Hamel said the goal of the products is for shoppers to have something "practical, durable, convenient and appealing," but they're "highly-manipulated." Ultra-processed foods are also high in sugar, salt and fat, while typically being poor quality and lacking in nutrients. In turn, that can promote weight gain because they don't make you feel as full. Additives have various purposes when it comes to ultra-processed foods. These might include: Preservatives to resist mold and bacteria Emulsifiers to prevent ingredients from separating Artificial colours and dyes Fragrance and flavour enhancers Agents focusing on anti-foaming, bulking, bleaching gelling and glazing Added or altered sugar, salts and fats for appearance It's typical to combine the same additives over and over again in certain products because they have complementary properties. Moreover, people often eat foods together, creating unique groups of additives that might create a problematic cluster they're regularly consuming. Hamel noted grocery stores are typically laid out in similar fashions. She suggested shoppers start by going around the store and beginning with sections that hold vegetables, fruits and other fresh foods. If you choose to go through the aisles of processed products, she said it's a good idea to have a goal in mind. "If you really know exactly what you want, that's a good thing. But you can get lost easily," Hamel said, adding she understands it's not easy for everyone to have time to cook proper meals. In those cases, she suggested people seek out ready-to-eat food products that aren't necessarily ultra-processed. Otherwise, she reminded people that you don't have to cook daily and can instead meal-prep for your week. But for people who might choose to venture down every aisle stocked full of ultra-processed products, she advised checking the ingredients list to ensure you buy better foods. "If there's a list of many ingredients that we cannot pronounce and we do not have in our kitchen, ... this is an indicator that it's maybe ultra-processed and maybe not a good idea to put in our groceries," she said. "We always like to put the weight on people to do better but it's hard to do better in the context we are in right now." Researchers also looked at what would happen if Canadians made changes to their diets. Luckily, there would be an estimated 45,000 fewer heart disease and stroke cases as well as more than 8,000 fewer deaths if people cut their ultra-processed food consumption by half. Even if people cut their consumption by 20 per cent, there would be positive benefits. In that case, there would be 3,000 fewer deaths and the burden of heart disease and stroke associated with consuming ultra-processed foods would drop by 17 per cent. On the other hand, there would be higher problems if people consumed 50 per cent more ultra-processed foods. In that case, there would be nearly 3,500 additional deaths annually and 45 per cent of new cases would be related to ultra-processed food consumption. Hamel said there must be a change in aggressive marketing of ultra-processed foods towards children because it has normalized these products, leaving it difficult for parents to compete. "We need a mentality change, we need a systemic change ... and strong policies to help people to reduce their consumption of ultra-processed foods," she said.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
What are the worst ultra-processed foods? What to know as clusters of additives linked to type 2 diabetes, new study finds
This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Contact a qualified medical professional before engaging in any physical activity, or making any changes to your diet, medication or lifestyle. Ultra-processed foods are a major part of the Canadian diet, meaning many people are consuming lots of additives that do anything from adding flavour or colour in drinks, to extending the shelf-life of certain products. There's little research on how these additives impact health, but one new study has indicated consuming certain clusters is linked to an increase in type 2 diabetes. The research, published Tuesday in PLOS Medicine, analyzed data from more than 108,000 participants who took part in a study from NutriNet-Santé. Researchers asked each person their dietary intake to create a database of known additives they're already consuming. Nutritional information was then compared to medical records through December 2023 to see who developed type 2 diabetes. There were five clusters of additives most frequently ingested by participants of the study, and two mixtures were linked to a modest increase of risk for diabetes. This was regardless of the diet's nutritional quality, as well as the person's sociodemographic and lifestyle factors. Foods in the first cluster include a mixture of the following additives, which may be found in products like creamy dairy desserts, fat-based sauces and broths: Modified starches Pectin Guar gum Carrageenan Polyphosphates Potassium sorbates Curcumin Xanthan gum The second cluster of additives is often found in sugary and artificially sweetened drinks. The mixture features the following additives: Citric acid Sodium citrates Phosphoric acid Sulfite ammonia caramel Acesulfame potassium or Ace-K Aspartame Sucralose Arabic gum Malic acid Carnauba wax Paprika extract Anthocyanins Guar gum Pectin The study, which the International Council of Beverages Associations told CNN was "absurd" and "highly misleading," comes after other research published in late February indicated nearly four in 10 heart disease and stroke deaths are linked to consuming ultra-processed foods. "More than one-third of all cardiovascular events — or 38 per cent — were associated with ultra-processed food consumption in 2019," Virginie Hamel a dietitian and PhD candidate at the Université de Montréal who worked on this study, previously told Yahoo Canada. "This study ... shows how ultra-processed foods are a major component of the burden of heart disease and stroke in Canada." The estimated 38 per cent of cardiovascular events linked to ultra-processed food consumption includes more than 96,000 cases of heart disease and stroke, 55 per cent of which were men. There were also more than 17,400 deaths, where 52 per cent were men. The study also found Canadians over age 20 have diets where these products make up more than 43 per cent of their total daily energy intake. Now, researchers are pushing for more change and new policies, especially around regulating how ultra-processed foods are marketed to children. Hamel said the researchers looked at prior studies of ultra-processed foods Canadians consume most often. "According to the most-recent representative data from 2015 in Canada, one of the most ultra-processed foods is commercial bread," she added. However, she said some of the other more common ultra-processed foods Canadians consume include chips, frozen meals, cakes, cookies, pies and soft drinks. Other ultra-processed foods may include: Sweetened breakfast cereals and oatmeals Reconstituted meat products like hot dogs and fish sticks Powdered and packaged soups Candy Protein bars and shakes Boxed pasta products Ice cream and sweetened yogurt Margarine and spreads like cream cheese According to Hamel, processed foods are products that might include sugar, salt or oil before they're packaged for sale. This is done to increase a product's preservation, but typically no other additives are included and the processing is more simple. On the other hand, ultra-processed foods have "many processing steps" — like extrusion, moulding and milling — as well as "additives we may never have in the kitchen," she explained. When it comes to ultra-processed foods, Hamel said the goal of the products is for shoppers to have something "practical, durable, convenient and appealing," but they're "highly-manipulated." Ultra-processed foods are also high in sugar, salt and fat, while typically being poor quality and lacking in nutrients. In turn, that can promote weight gain because they don't make you feel as full. Additives have various purposes when it comes to ultra-processed foods. These might include: Preservatives to resist mold and bacteria Emulsifiers to prevent ingredients from separating Artificial colours and dyes Fragrance and flavour enhancers Agents focusing on anti-foaming, bulking, bleaching gelling and glazing Added or altered sugar, salts and fats for appearance It's typical to combine the same additives over and over again in certain products because they have complementary properties. Moreover, people often eat foods together, creating unique groups of additives that might create a problematic cluster they're regularly consuming. Hamel noted grocery stores are typically laid out in similar fashions. She suggested shoppers start by going around the store and beginning with sections that hold vegetables, fruits and other fresh foods. If you choose to go through the aisles of processed products, she said it's a good idea to have a goal in mind. "If you really know exactly what you want, that's a good thing. But you can get lost easily," Hamel said, adding she understands it's not easy for everyone to have time to cook proper meals. In those cases, she suggested people seek out ready-to-eat food products that aren't necessarily ultra-processed. Otherwise, she reminded people that you don't have to cook daily and can instead meal-prep for your week. But for people who might choose to venture down every aisle stocked full of ultra-processed products, she advised checking the ingredients list to ensure you buy better foods. "If there's a list of many ingredients that we cannot pronounce and we do not have in our kitchen, ... this is an indicator that it's maybe ultra-processed and maybe not a good idea to put in our groceries," she said. "We always like to put the weight on people to do better but it's hard to do better in the context we are in right now." Researchers also looked at what would happen if Canadians made changes to their diets. Luckily, there would be an estimated 45,000 fewer heart disease and stroke cases as well as more than 8,000 fewer deaths if people cut their ultra-processed food consumption by half. Even if people cut their consumption by 20 per cent, there would be positive benefits. In that case, there would be 3,000 fewer deaths and the burden of heart disease and stroke associated with consuming ultra-processed foods would drop by 17 per cent. On the other hand, there would be higher problems if people consumed 50 per cent more ultra-processed foods. In that case, there would be nearly 3,500 additional deaths annually and 45 per cent of new cases would be related to ultra-processed food consumption. Hamel said there must be a change in aggressive marketing of ultra-processed foods towards children because it has normalized these products, leaving it difficult for parents to compete. "We need a mentality change, we need a systemic change ... and strong policies to help people to reduce their consumption of ultra-processed foods," she said.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Clusters of additives in ultraprocessed foods linked to type 2 diabetes, study finds
Sign up for CNN's Eat, But Better: Mediterranean Style. Our eight-part guide shows you a delicious expert-backed eating lifestyle that will boost your health for life. Nearly 70% of all food in grocery stores in the United States is ultraprocessed, meaning the foods contain additives used to add flavor and color, create texture, extend shelf life and keep ingredients from separating. Yet little research on the health impact of additives exist, and what data there is looks at the possible harms of individual ingredients, such as food dyes and brominated vegetable oil, as well as contaminants that leach into foods from packaging. However, clusters of additives often used by industry in certain food categories may be more harmful when eaten together than alone, according to a new study which found two such mixtures linked to a small but significant increase in type 2 diabetes. 'The research shows that the intake of certain clusters of additives increases the risk of diabetes beyond the effect of each individual additive,' said Carlos Augusto Monteiro, emeritus professor in the school of public health at the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil, in an email. 'The fact that the regulation of additives considers their effect on health individually, rather than as part of a combination, has been criticized because these additives are consumed in clusters, not alone,' Monteiro said. 'The research demonstrates that this criticism is absolutely valid.' Monteiro, who was not involved in the study, created the often-used NOVA classification system, which groups food by levels of processing. Foods in their natural state, such as fruits, vegetables, meat, milk and eggs, are considered unprocessed or minimally processed. Salts, oils and spices are processed cooking ingredients. Canned vegetables and fruits, breads and cheese are considered processed. Packaged and ready-to-eat foods, processed meats and sugary and diet drinks that contain additives never or rarely used in kitchens and that undergo extensive industrial processing are considered ultraprocessed. The International Council of Beverages Associations, which represents industry, told CNN via email the study was 'absurd.' 'This study's claim is highly misleading and only serves to instill fear and confusion among consumers. Decades of robust scientific evidence show these ingredients are safe,' said ICBA Executive Director Kate Loatman. Additives often used in ultraprocessed foods include preservatives to resist mold and bacteria; emulsifiers to keep incompatible ingredients from separating; artificial colorings and dyes; fragrance and flavor enhancers; anti-foaming, bulking, bleaching, gelling and glazing agents; and added or altered sugar, salt and fats designed to make food more appealing. Industry often combines the same additives over and over in a particular type of food because they have complementary properties, said senior study author Mathilde Touvier, director of the Nutritional EpidemiologyResearch Team at the French National Institute for Health and Medical Research, a public research organization. 'A diet soda will contain a mixture of artificial sweeteners, dyes, and acidifiers such as aspartame, acesulfame potassium (Ace-K), sulfite ammonia caramel, and citric acid,' said Touvier via email. 'Same for a flavored diet yogurt — with emulsifiers and artificial sweeteners — or an industrial bread with emulsifiers, preservatives, etc.' In addition, people often eat certain foods together, thus creating unique groups of additives, said Touvier, who is also the principal investigator of the NutriNet-Santé cohort, a long-term study of the relationship between nutrition and health. Take a regular fast-food consumer who eats a typical meal of a burger on an industrial bun, fries and a soda, or a hot dog on industrial bread with chips and soda. Eating the same ultraprocessed foods together on a regular basis can contribute to creating these clusters of chemicals, she said. The new research, published Tuesday in PLOS Medicine, analyzed nutritional and health data of over 108,000 adults participating in the French NutriNet-Santé study. Prior studies using this population uncovered an association between artificial sweeteners, emulsifiers such as polysorbate 80, carrageenan, xanthan and guar gum, and the nitrates found in processed meats with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. Participants were asked about their dietary intake by brand at the start of the study by using the Open Food Facts database, a listing of the ingredients, allergens and nutrition facts of over 3 million foods from 150 countries by commercial brand name. Knowing the nutritional and ingredient list for each food allowed the researchers to build a database of known additives eaten by each person. 'These mixtures are data-driven,' said first study author Marie Payen de la Garanderie, a doctoral student in the Nutritional Epidemiology Research Team at the French National Institute for Health and Medical Research. 'We did not decide 'a priori' to group additives together. These 5 mixtures reflect the ones most frequently ingested by NutriNet-Santé participants,' de la Garanderie said in an email. 'This study is the first to estimate exposure to food additive mixtures in a large cohort of the general population and to analyze their link to the incidence of type 2 diabetes.' Nutritional data was then compared to medical records through December 2023 to see who developed type 2 diabetes. 'We carefully adjusted all models for intakes of energy, added sugars, saturated fatty acids, sodium, dietary fiber, etc., in order to isolate a potential effect of the studied mixtures, independently from the well-known effect of sugar on type 2 diabetes,' Touvier said. Of the five clusters of additives, two were associated with a modest increase in a risk for diabetes, regardless of the nutritional quality of the diet, or sociodemographic and lifestyle factors. The first cluster consisted of modified starches, pectin, guar gum, carrageenan, polyphosphates, potassium sorbates, curcumin and xanthan gum. Xanthan and guar gum are derived from plants and are typically safe, even beneficial, according to some studies. However, other studies have found disruptions in gut microbiota and inflammation. Foods in this cluster would include creamy dairy desserts, such as ready-to-eat puddings, fat-based sauces such as cheese dip, and broths. 'Modified starches is a group of phosphate additives,' said Elizabeth Dunford, an adjunct assistant professor in the department of nutrition at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, who was not involved in the study. 'There is a plethora of research to show the detrimental effect phosphate intake has on kidney function, and it is most certainly linked to negative effects in type 2 diabetes,' Dunford said in an email. The second cluster linked to an increased risk for type 2 diabetes included citric acid, sodium citrates, phosphoric acid, sulfite ammonia caramel, acesulfame potassium or Ace-K, aspartame, sucralose, Arabic gum, malic acid, carnauba wax, paprika extract, anthocyanins, guar gum and pectin. These additives are typically found in sugary and artificially sweetened drinks. 'One of the clusters contains several emulsifiers, while the other contains several non-sugar sweeteners — both groups with individual components whose association with diabetes was already demonstrated, so findings are very consistent,' Monteiro said. Much more research needs to be done to gain a 'deeper understanding' of potential interactions of food additive mixtures on metabolism, de la Garanderie said. 'The research appears thorough,' Dunford said. 'I think this paper is a good first step to highlighting the potential negative health consequences of specific additive combinations.'
CNN
08-04-2025
- Health
- CNN
Clusters of additives in ultraprocessed foods linked to type 2 diabetes, study finds
Summary Nearly 70% of food in US grocery stores is ultraprocessed, containing additives for flavor, color and preservation. Two specific clusters of food additives in ultraprocessed foods are linked to increased type 2 diabetes risk, according to a new study. The study analyzed data from over 108,000 French adults to identify potentially harmful additive combinations frequently consumed together. Researchers isolated additive effects from other factors like sugar intake to determine independent diabetes risk. The International Council of Beverages Associations called the study "absurd" and defended additive safety. Nearly 70% of all food in grocery stores in the United States is ultraprocessed, meaning the foods contain additives used to add flavor and color, create texture, extend shelf life and keep ingredients from separating. Yet little research on the health impact of additives exist, and what data there is looks at the possible harms of individual ingredients, such as food dyes and brominated vegetable oil, as well as contaminants that leach into foods from packaging. However, clusters of additives often used by industry in certain food categories may be more harmful when eaten together than alone, according to a new study which found two such mixtures linked to a small but significant increase in type 2 diabetes. 'The research shows that the intake of certain clusters of additives increases the risk of diabetes beyond the effect of each individual additive,' said Carlos Augusto Monteiro, emeritus professor in the school of public health at the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil, in an email. 'The fact that the regulation of additives considers their effect on health individually, rather than as part of a combination, has been criticized because these additives are consumed in clusters, not alone,' Monteiro said. 'The research demonstrates that this criticism is absolutely valid.' Monteiro, who was not involved in the study, created the often-used NOVA classification system, which groups food by levels of processing. Foods in their natural state, such as fruits, vegetables, meat, milk and eggs, are considered unprocessed or minimally processed. Salts, oils and spices are processed cooking ingredients. Canned vegetables and fruits, breads and cheese are considered processed. Packaged and ready-to-eat foods, processed meats and sugary and diet drinks that contain additives never or rarely used in kitchens and that undergo extensive industrial processing are considered ultraprocessed. The International Council of Beverages Associations, which represents industry, told CNN via email the study was 'absurd.' 'This study's claim is highly misleading and only serves to instill fear and confusion among consumers. Decades of robust scientific evidence show these ingredients are safe,' said ICBA Executive Director Kate Loatman. Clusters of additives Additives often used in ultraprocessed foods include preservatives to resist mold and bacteria; emulsifiers to keep incompatible ingredients from separating; artificial colorings and dyes; fragrance and flavor enhancers; anti-foaming, bulking, bleaching, gelling and glazing agents; and added or altered sugar, salt and fats designed to make food more appealing. Industry often combines the same additives over and over in a particular type of food because they have complementary properties, said senior study author Mathilde Touvier, director of the Nutritional EpidemiologyResearch Team at the French National Institute for Health and Medical Research, a public research organization. 'A diet soda will contain a mixture of artificial sweeteners, dyes, and acidifiers such as aspartame, acesulfame potassium (Ace-K), sulfite ammonia caramel, and citric acid,' said Touvier via email. 'Same for a flavored diet yogurt — with emulsifiers and artificial sweeteners — or an industrial bread with emulsifiers, preservatives, etc.' In addition, people often eat certain foods together, thus creating unique groups of additives, said Touvier, who is also the principal investigator of the NutriNet-Santé cohort, a long-term study of the relationship between nutrition and health. Take a regular fast-food consumer who eats a typical meal of a burger on an industrial bun, fries and a soda, or a hot dog on industrial bread with chips and soda. Eating the same ultraprocessed foods together on a regular basis can contribute to creating these clusters of chemicals, she said. More harmful together than alone The new research, published Tuesday in PLOS Medicine, analyzed nutritional and health data of over 108,000 adults participating in the French NutriNet-Santé study. Prior studies using this population uncovered an association between artificial sweeteners, emulsifiers such as polysorbate 80, carrageenan, xanthan and guar gum, and the nitrates found in processed meats with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. Participants were asked about their dietary intake by brand at the start of the study by using the Open Food Facts database, a listing of the ingredients, allergens and nutrition facts of over 3 million foods from 150 countries by commercial brand name. Knowing the nutritional and ingredient list for each food allowed the researchers to build a database of known additives eaten by each person. 'These mixtures are data-driven,' said first study author Marie Payen de la Garanderie, a doctoral student in the Nutritional Epidemiology Research Team at the French National Institute for Health and Medical Research. 'We did not decide 'a priori' to group additives together. These 5 mixtures reflect the ones most frequently ingested by NutriNet-Santé participants,' de la Garanderie said in an email. 'This study is the first to estimate exposure to food additive mixtures in a large cohort of the general population and to analyze their link to the incidence of type 2 diabetes.' Nutritional data was then compared to medical records through December 2023 to see who developed type 2 diabetes. 'We carefully adjusted all models for intakes of energy, added sugars, saturated fatty acids, sodium, dietary fiber, etc., in order to isolate a potential effect of the studied mixtures, independently from the well-known effect of sugar on type 2 diabetes,' Touvier said. Of the five clusters of additives, two were associated with a modest increase in a risk for diabetes, regardless of the nutritional quality of the diet, or sociodemographic and lifestyle factors. The first cluster consisted of modified starches, pectin, guar gum, carrageenan, polyphosphates, potassium sorbates, curcumin and xanthan gum. Xanthan and guar gum are derived from plants and are typically safe, even beneficial, according to some studies. However, other studies have found disruptions in gut microbiota and inflammation. Foods in this cluster would include creamy dairy desserts, such as ready-to-eat puddings, fat-based sauces such as cheese dip, and broths. 'Modified starches is a group of phosphate additives,' said Elizabeth Dunford, an adjunct assistant professor in the department of nutrition at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, who was not involved in the study. 'There is a plethora of research to show the detrimental effect phosphate intake has on kidney function, and it is most certainly linked to negative effects in type 2 diabetes,' Dunford said in an email. The second cluster linked to an increased risk for type 2 diabetes included citric acid, sodium citrates, phosphoric acid, sulfite ammonia caramel, acesulfame potassium or Ace-K, aspartame, sucralose, Arabic gum, malic acid, carnauba wax, paprika extract, anthocyanins, guar gum and pectin. These additives are typically found in sugary and artificially sweetened drinks. 'One of the clusters contains several emulsifiers, while the other contains several non-sugar sweeteners — both groups with individual components whose association with diabetes was already demonstrated, so findings are very consistent,' Monteiro said. Much more research needs to be done to gain a 'deeper understanding' of potential interactions of food additive mixtures on metabolism, de la Garanderie said. 'The research appears thorough,' Dunford said. 'I think this paper is a good first step to highlighting the potential negative health consequences of specific additive combinations.'
