SACN Report on Ultra Processed Foods and Health

Recently the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) has released a report on processed foods and health. SACN is a UK independent expert advisory group, which considered ultra-processed foods (UPF) at its horizon scanning meeting on 17 June 2022. 

• It is unclear to what extent observed associations between (ultra-) processed foods and adverse health outcomes are explained by established nutritional relationships between nutritional factors and health outcomes on which SACN has undertaken robust risk assessments.
• The observed associations between higher consumption of (ultra-) processed foods and adverse health outcomes are concerning – however, the limitations in the NOVA classification system, the potential for confounding, and the possibility that the observed adverse associations with (ultra-) processed foods are covered by existing UK dietary recommendations mean that the evidence to date needs to be treated with caution.
• There is a need for further assessment and development of an (ultra-) processed foods classification system that can reliably be applied to estimate consumption of processed foods in the UK.

Link to SACN Report on Processed Foods and Health