Subscribe to the Academy of Ideas Substack for more information on the next Battle and future events: https://clairefox.substack.com/subscribe SHOULD WE AVOID ULTRA PROCESSED FOOD? https://www.battleofideas.org.uk/session/should-we-avoid-ultra-processed-food/ Ever since we started making food products in factories, there have been concerns about the dangers of mass-produced food. Where previously there were anxieties about ‘junk’ food, the current fashion is to worry about ‘ultra-processed’ foods (UPFs), particularly since the success of TV doctor Chris Van Tulleken’s book, Ultra Processed People. Van Tulleken admits that defining UPFs is ‘tricky’, adding: ‘There isn’t a single definition, but they generally contain ingredients not used in home cooking’ along with more fat, sugar and salt. A more widely used definition is from the NOVA system: ‘Ultra-processed foods are formulations of ingredients, mostly of exclusive industrial use, typically created by series of industrial techniques and processes (hence “ultra-processed”).’ UPFs are damned for being ‘highly palatable’ and ‘highly profitable’. By this definition, UPFs are ubiquitous, with more than half of our calorie intakes coming from them. Some seem obvious, like snack foods and confectionery. Most people would see these are fun to eat but not especially nutritious. But using Van Tulleken’s definition, even a loaf of Hovis wholemeal counts as a UPF. A study published in August in Nature Medicine claims that even when two diets are compared that both meet national nutritional standards, the one with minimally processed foods produced more weight loss than one containing UPFs. But many nutrition researchers are critical of the concept of UPF. There is little evidence, they say, that industrial processes and ingredients not used at home are themselves cause for concern. They argue that when more mainstream categorisation of food is applied – measuring things like calories, fat and fibre – the effect of UPF seems to disappear. Should we avoid UPFs? How else might we explain the rise of obesity and chronic health conditions like diabetes? Is ‘highly palatable’ just a fancy way of saying ‘tasty’? Is there an element of snobbery about mass production and big, successful food companies? Speakers Tonia Buxton presenter and executive producer, My Greek Kitchen; author; nutritionist Suzanne Evans director, Political Insight Timandra Harkness journalist, writer and broadcaster; author, Technology is Not the Problem and Big Data: does size matter?; presenter, Radio 4's FutureProofing and How to Disagree Milli Hill freelance journalist; founder, Positive Birth Movement; author, Ultra-Processed Women Christopher Snowdon head of lifestyle economics, Institute of Economic Affairs; author, Killjoys and other books; co-host, Last Orders Chair Alan Miller co-founder and chair, Together Association