The Contribution of Processed Foods on The Prevalence of Heart Disease

According to EJ Benjamin from Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), every 40 seconds, someone in the United States has a heart attack, totaling to about 735,000 heart attack cases annually. Ana Sandalou from Medical News Today, claims that in the U.S. 840,678 cardiovascular deaths were registered in 2016.[1] A probable cause of that is seen though a research study conducted by nutritionist Larissa Baraldi in 2013 found that 57.9 percent of American’s calorie intake, on average, came from ultra-processed foods.[2]  Since ultra-processed foods are foods that go through multiple processes (extrusion, molding, milling, etc.), containing many added ingredients and are highly manipulated, being suggested that ultra-processed foods have increased the risks of heart disease.

This paper will explore the effect of processed foods on the prevalence heart disease and investigate both the corporate and medical perspectives to understand both sides of the health-driven argument, ultimately corporations need to spread awareness of what health risks come with the foods consumers are able to buy.

The increasing popularity of urban living, widespread advertisements by TV, attractive packaging, and poor nutrition knowledge among parents are considered among the common reasons of increased junk food consumption from a young age.

Eating a pre-made and processed meal, for example, allows the consumer to spend much less time in preparation and cooking, making it efficient and not to mention, cheap. Manufacturers use an enhanced form of sodium called MSG (Monosodium Glutamate) to preserve foods and modify flavor, and it’s included in additives that affect the texture or color of foods, since the food industry is becoming more aware that shoppers want less sodium in the products they make.

Joe Leech found in his study in 2014 that MSG gives a special addictive aroma to processed foods which is known as umami in Japanese, the taste sensation is also called “savory.”[3] Katherine Zeratsky from the Mayo Clinic, expresses how MSG is very controversial, mentioning the defects of MSG are increased infantile obesity, heart palpitation, facial pressure or tightness, weakness tingling and more.[4] All very common links to heart disease. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has classified MSG as a food ingredient that’s “generally recognized as safe,” but its use remains controversial.[5] However, with that comes into play the marketing and monetizing of processed foods, targeting the appeal of the given audience. Major processed food producing corporations such as PepsiCo., Tyson Foods, and Nestle are, despite the health stigma, setting regulations with the help of FDA to make sure their food is safe to distribute and consume.

Though the Food and Drug Administration have passed new regulations that require companies and producers to ensure food safety and remove or prevent dangerous toxins to remove trans fats from their foods by June 2018, the ingredients are still currently found in processed foods.[6] The Calorie Control Council (CCC) claims that processed foods are safe, nutritious, convenient and cost effective.[7] Since processed foods can be changed with additional nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, and fiber to boost the health profile of foods, consumers trying to optimize their health can consume these foods to address their specific needs, while saving money and time because they’re not having to buy and make their meals from scratch. The “NOVA” system, an attempt by Dr. Carlos Monteiro and colleagues during food processing describes how products are strictly inspected and treated to destroy harmful bacteria and extend self-life since they’re to be distributed on a nationwide or global scale.[8]

Thus, people who eat a lot of processed foods have much higher sodium levels. Elevated sodium levels can lead to significant health problems, including high blood pressure and a higher risk of strokes and other serious medical conditions such as heart disease. Harvard’s Nutrition and Health Source (NHS), claims that not all processed foods are unhealthy, but some processed foods may contain high levels of salt, sugar and fat.[9] The reason is that these processed food’s prices and convenience make up for the lack of quality.

In a study in Michigan conducted by nutritionist Bryan Anderson, 68% of adults who go to fast-food restaurants stated they would choose healthier fast-food items when available, yet only 16% said they ever use nutritional information when ordering.[10] With nothing but a sense of urgency, people truly don’t consider the long-term effects of processed foods into their bodies. Jessica Bruso from Healthy Living says that while consumers don’t need to limit the sugars found naturally in whole, unprocessed foods like fresh fruit, eating too much added sugar found in many processed foods, such as high fructose corn syrup can increase their risk for heart disease, obesity, cavities and Type 2 diabetes.[11] Laura Dolson from Rebound Health describes high fructose corn syrup being used in  a vast amount of food instead of sugar for convenience by mentioning the health defects, nature sugar takes a slower time to break down and utilizes the sugars produced into their bodies while something artificial or processed are foreign to the body not letting it break down, but rather store it someplace else, like fat, creating more health problems for the consumer.[12] Pediatrician Robert Lustig asserts in his book Fat Chance, with processed foods posing as one of the leading causes of heart failure, its seen being linked to eating patterns and choices of patients affected based off the medical history he had been analyzing.

With the link of heavily processed foods, heart disease rates have increasingly gone up. Although there’s research regarding processed food’s impact on heart disease, firm evidence is still scarce, since they’re evolving every day. First Lady Michelle Obama took the nutrition of the youth of America into a “Let’s Move” campaign, aiming to reduce childhood obesity and encourage a healthy lifestyle in children, heavily influencing many school boards with her nutritional value of the food pyramid, of what healthy lunch choices would benefit school systems.[13] Additionally, some steps consumers could take as a feasible solution would be to spread awareness of the health risks of processed foods, by lowering the intake of ultra-processed foods.

By informing and urging parents and other consumers with appealing advertisements to spend a couple seconds of just looking at the labels of the products they’re buying to debate if they’re worth it or if they should find a substitute product instead. Since many people look for convenience, straying away from having to cook food at home from the traditional way from scratch, they look for an alternative, trading quality for quantity. Many minimally processed foods are slightly altered for the main purpose of preservation but without the change of the nutritional content of the food, swapping out highly processed foods with less-processed options or limiting the amount of processed foods you buy, differentiating needs from wants. Even a shift in what consumers buy, from ultra-processed to minimally processed, would create a significant impact to their health.

Despite finding feasible substitutes, a limitation to the situation of prevention is how many individuals are already at risk from genetic history to diseases linked from other health issues, age, weight or even race. High sodium intake can raise blood pressure and the risk of heart attack and stroke. With obesity and heart disease on the rise, corporations would benefit from lowering the risk of their foods while consumers would also take advantage in that part by becoming aware of what they’re doing to their bodies.

References

“11 Ways Processed Food Is Different from Real Food.” LiveScience. Purch. Accessed October 27, 2019. https://www.livescience.com/57581-processed-food-differences.html.

Anderson, Bryan. Fast-Food Consumption and Obesity Among Michigan Adults. Preventing Chronic Disease, August 4, 2013. https://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2011/jul/10_0186.htm

Baraldi, Larissa. “’Ultra-Processed’ Foods Make up More than Half of All Calories in US Diet.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, March 9, 2016. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/03/160309202154.htm.

Bruso, Jessica. “The Disadvantages of Food Processing.” Healthy Eating | SF Gate, December 27, 2018. https://healthyeating.sfgate.com/disadvantages-food-processing-10900.html.

Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. “Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS).” U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA. Accessed November 3, 2019. https://www.fda.gov/food/food-ingredients-packaging/generally-recognized-safe-gras.

Dolson, Laura. “Artificial Sweeteners Tied to Obesity, Type 2 Diabetes.” Rebound Health | Artificial sweeteners tied to obesity, Type 2 diabetes | Newspaper Clippings and Articles. Accessed November 3, 2019. http://www.reboundhealth.com/cms/articles/newspaper-clippings-and-articles/artificial-sweeteners-tied-to-obesity-type-2-diabetes.html.

Leech, Joe. “MSG (Monosodium Glutamate): Good or Bad?” Healthline. Healthline Media, November 19, 2018. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/msg-good-or-bad.

Monteiro, Carlos. “The Debate Over the Health Effects of Food Processing.” American Society for Nutrition, May 13, 2019. https://nutrition.org/the-debate-over-the-health-effects-of-food-processing/.

National Archives and Records Administration. National Archives and Records Administration. Accessed November 3, 2019. https://letsmove.obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/.

“Processed Foods Are Safe, Nutritious, Convenient and Cost Effective.” Calorie Control Council, November 6, 2015. https://caloriecontrol.org/processed-foods-are-safe-nutritious-convenient-and-cost-effective/.

“Processed Foods and Health.” The Nutrition Source, June 24, 2019. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/processed-foods/.

Sandlou, Anna. “Could Processed Foods Explain Why Autism Is on the Rise?” Medical News Today. MediLexicon International, June 24, 2019. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325546.php.

Zeratsky, Kathrine. “How Does Your Body React to MSG?” Mayo Clinic. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, March 20, 2018. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/monosodium-glutamate/faq-20058196.

[1]   Anna, Sandlou. “Could Processed Foods Explain Why Autism Is on the Rise?” Medical News Today. MediLexicon International, June 24, 2019. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325546.php.

[2] Larissa, Baraldi. “’Ultra-Processed’ Foods Make up More than Half of All Calories in US Diet.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, March 9, 2016. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/03/160309202154.htm.

[3] Joe, Leech. “MSG (Monosodium Glutamate): Good or Bad?” Healthline. Healthline Media, November 19, 2018. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/msg-good-or-bad.

[4] Katherine, Zeratsky, R.D. “How Does Your Body React to MSG?” Mayo Clinic. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, March 20, 2018. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/monosodium-glutamate/faq-20058196.

[5] Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. “Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS).” U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA. Accessed November 3, 2019. https://www.fda.gov/food/food-ingredients-packaging/generally-recognized-safe-gras.

[6] “11 Ways Processed Food Is Different from Real Food.” LiveScience. Purch. Accessed October 27, 2019. https://www.livescience.com/57581-processed-food-differences.html.

[7] “Processed Foods Are Safe, Nutritious, Convenient and Cost Effective.” Calorie Control Council, November 6, 2015. https://caloriecontrol.org/processed-foods-are-safe-nutritious-convenient-and-cost-effective/.

[8] Carlos, Monteiro. “The Debate Over the Health Effects of Food Processing.” American Society for Nutrition, May 13, 2019. https://nutrition.org/the-debate-over-the-health-effects-of-food-processing/.

[9] “Processed Foods and Health.” The Nutrition Source, June 24, 2019. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/processed-foods/.

[10]  Bryan, Anderson. Fast-Food Consumption and Obesity Among Michigan Adults. Preventing Chronic Disease, August 4, 2013. https://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2011/jul/10_0186.htm

[11] Jessica, Bruso. “The Disadvantages of Food Processing.” Healthy Eating | SF Gate, December 27, 2018. https://healthyeating.sfgate.com/disadvantages-food-processing-10900.html.

[12] Laura, Dolson. “Artificial Sweeteners Tied to Obesity, Type 2 Diabetes.” Rebound Health | Artificial sweeteners tied to obesity, Type 2 diabetes | Newspaper Clippings and Articles. Accessed November 3, 2019. http://www.reboundhealth.com/cms/articles/newspaper-clippings-and-articles/artificial-sweeteners-tied-to-obesity-type-2-diabetes.html.

[13] National Archives and Records Administration. National Archives and Records Administration. Accessed November 3, 2019. https://letsmove.obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/.