Which country consumes the most ultra-processed foods? When we talk about this type of food, we naturally think of the United States. But also in Europe, this type of choice represents a significant portion of our diet.

That’s why we’re going to take a look at our continent to find out which European countries are those who consume the most of this type of food to try to better understand this phenomenon. Will the Mediterranean diet free us from ultra-processed foods?

Ultra-processed foods, as the name suggests, are foods that have undergone intensive processing before reaching the consumer. There is no “standard” definition of what constitutes ultra-processed foods, but there are a few that we can refer to, such as from British Heart Foundation or NOVA classification, used by FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations).

Following this classification, the FAO defines ultra-processed foods as “formulations of ingredients, almost always specifically for industrial use, usually prepared by means of a series of industrial techniques and processes.” It is on the basis of this classification that a group of researchers recently evaluated the consumption trends of ultra-processed foods in different European countries.

and what he said learning about the largest consumers in Europe? The answer It depends on what we measure.. For example, if we take into account the weight of ultra-processed foods in the total food consumed, the Netherlands stands out as a country (20% of the food consumed by men in this country and 16.6% of the food consumed by women falls into this category); also Sweden (22.9% in men and 20.9% in women), or the United Kingdom (17.2% in women).

The study also measured the weight of ultra-processed foods in calorie intake. Here again the UK stands out (39.7% of calories consumed by men in the country come from ultra-processed foods, 41.3% for women), and Sweden (40.6% for men and 43.8% for women).

On the other hand, we can find similar countries Estonia, Italy or Romania. Looking again at the proportion of food consumed by mass, we find that in the case of Italy, 6.4% of the food consumed by men and 6.1% of the food consumed by women fall into this category; while in Estonia the proportions are 6.7% for men and 5.7% for women.

With regard to countries where ultra-processed foods represent a smaller portion of caloric intake, we have Italy (12.9% of calories consumed by men in this country come from ultra-processed foods, 13.8% for women), and Romania (14.6% in men and 15.8% in women).

And Spain?

The average European, in terms of mass, is 328 grams per day, 12% of all food consumed. Consumption in Spain in this regard is something below average: 11.5% in men and 11.4% in women.

If we look at the calorie intake of food, the European average is 27.2% of calories consumed. Again, Spain is below average, with 25% in the case of men, and 25.3% in the case of women.

The bad news is that Spain is among the countries that, according to the study, the faster it grows consumption of ultra-processed foods. While studies on this trend have observed a “moderate” decline in most countries (between 2% and 15%), countries such as Finland, the UK and Spain have seen an increase in the consumption of these types of foods.

The study was conducted by a team from the Antwerp Institute of Tropical Medicine, in Belgium. The study primarily used data provided by a food consumption survey. Comprehensive European Food Consumption Database from EFSA (European Food Safety Authority). This survey asked participants about the food they consumed in the last 24 hours.

The team combined these measures with evaluations of diet quality, body mass index or the prevalence of certain diseases. The study published in 2022 in the magazine European Journal of Nutrition.

When we talk about ultra-processed rums in our diet, it is important to clarify that not all of them have the same negative impact on our health. How suitable a product is ultimately depends on its ingredients.

The problem with these foods is that they are often high in salt and sugar and provide no benefit. little nutritional value compared to their calorie intake. But “often” does not mean “always,” so while the general consumption of these foods may be useful as a guide, it does not represent the whole picture.

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