Il cibo per la vita

Our physical and mental well-being are directly linked to what we eat and drink. The nutritional content of what we eat determines the composition of our cell membranes, bone marrow, blood, hormones, tissues, organs, skin, and hair. Lifestyle and nutrition of the humankind has undergone substantial changes during the last century. Additives and processed food have become the basis of our nutrition. Ingredients such as salt, sugar and fat are sometimes added to processed foods to make their flavour more appealing and to extend their shelf life. When the processed food industry discovered that these ingredients could be formulated to produce a state of satiety, pleasure, and sensory hedonia in those who consumed them, it extended their use to the “bliss point”, the point where the levels of saltiness, sweetness, and richness were perceived by the consumer as just right. Such modified foods can dysregulate the brain’s food reward system by increasing dopamine production, thus making the foods addictive. It is not easy to avoid these foods: the only way is to eat mainly fresh or only lightly processed foods (such as canned tomatoes and frozen vegetables). It is helpful to know which foods are healthy and what you can do to ensure you eat the healthiest diet you can. Combining a variety of foods, eating regular meals, including wholegrains, fibres, fruit, vegetables and “healthy fats”, and limiting the amount of sugar, salt and fat you eat are all recommended for good nutrition. (Healthy_habits)

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Sustainability and ultra-processed foods: role of youth

Sustainability Agri Food and Environmental Research ◽

10.7770/safer-v9n2-art2337 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Deepanshi Gupta ◽

Purnima Khanal ◽

Maria Khan

Keyword(s):

Human Body ◽

Natural Environment ◽

Food Processing ◽

Well Being ◽

Processed Foods ◽

Processed Food ◽

Food Processing Industry ◽

Processing Industry ◽

The People

The objective of this research is to study and look at the ways how processed food affects human and environmental health and to find alternatives to processed food. Sustainability refers to the efforts made to meet the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to fulfil their requirements. Sustainability aims at environment-friendly progress and development. World Health Organization defines health as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. Processed food is any food that has been changed in its form and nature by using certain processing techniques such as freezing, canning and dehydrating. The focus of this research is “ultra-processed foods”. Ultra-processed foods are the final food product that is processed by using chemicals and unnatural preservatives. As defined by the United Nations, youth refers to the young people who fall in the age group of 15-24 years.The problem: ultra-processed foods and its impact on human and environmental wellbeing. The food processing industry is largely driven by profit-making objectives owing to the intense competition in the market. The manufacturers of food processing have to ensure that they don’t lose out their customers to their competitors. To maintain their consumer base the manufacturers work to make their processed food desirable and attractive. In the process, they resort to the usage of such products that are unnatural and unhealthy for both the human body as well as the environment. Some of the examples of such ingredients include chemicals used for preserving, colouring, and adding texture and flavour to the natural food, refined carbohydrates, sweeteners, and processed vegetable oils.Due to the use of above-mentioned ingredients, the consumption of ultra-processed foods becomes harmful to the human body. It has been found out through research that their consumption does not add any nutritional value to the human body. Moreover, it becomes very difficult for the human body to digest ultra-processed foods. Some people become addicted to such food and it has been studied that some food products are more addictive than drugs. Apart from this, the intake of the ultra-processed foods increases the instances of several diseases such as heart ailments, diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity.Processed food also impacts the natural environment. The waste generated after the processing of the food and the handling of the waste affects the air, water and soil. The process of handling and packaging of the product results in the release of harmful chemicals and toxins in the environment. This not only affects the natural environment but also human health. The solution to this problem is to create awareness about the harmful effects of ultra-processed foods and to promote sustainable alternatives to it. The youth can play a very important role in spreading awareness about the ill-effects as well as the alternatives to the ultra-processed foods. The sample of our study is the young consumers of ultra-processed foods of the University of Delhi. This is because the youth is the largest consumer of the ultra-processed foods and they can work towards promoting more sustainable and healthy food choices and habits amongst people. The research questions are: 1) What are the different kinds of ultra-processed foods that are consumed by people? 2) How does the food processing industry work? 3) How can the youth be made aware about the ill-effects of ultra-processed foods? 4) What are the sustainable alternatives to ultra-processed foods? 5) What role youth can play in promoting sustainable alternatives? The hypothesis are: 1) Ultra-processed foods affect the environment and human well-being negatively. 2) The youth can play a positive role in promoting alternatives to ultra-processed foods.The research methodology, is the theoretical and empirical analysis of the study. The nudge theory would be applied to understand how alternatives can be promoted by the youth. Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein introduced the concept of nudging and defined a nudge as “any aspect of the choice, architecture that predictably alters people’s behaviour without forbidding any options or significantly changing their economic incentives.” It doesn’t mean restricting the options available to the people but it means regulating their behaviour. The questionnaires and surveys to assess the consuming habits of the people and the use of pictorial and graphical representation of the data collected through the surveys and questionnaires are used. Despite the study focuses on the role of the youth, the surveys were conducted with youth as well as adults to make the study more inclusive and comprehensive.

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Processed Foods as an Integral Part of Universal Salt Iodization Programs: A Review of Global Experience and Analyses of Bangladesh and Pakistan

Food and Nutrition Bulletin ◽

10.1177/15648265120334s303 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 33 (4_suppl3) ◽

pp. S272-S280 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Rebecca Spohrer ◽

Greg S. Garrett ◽

Arnold Timmer ◽

Rajan Sankar ◽

Basanta Kar ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Developing Countries ◽

Food Industry ◽

Developed Countries ◽

Iodized Salt ◽

Processed Foods ◽

Processed Food ◽

Face To Face ◽

Salt Iodization ◽

Original Definition ◽

The Impact

Background Despite the reference to salt for food processing in the original definition of universal salt iodization (USI), national USI programs often do not explicitly address food industry salt. This may affect program impact and sustainability, given the increasing consumption of processed foods in developing countries. Objective To review experience of the use of iodized salt in the food industry globally, and analyze the market context in Bangladesh and Pakistan to test whether this experience may be applicable to inform improved national USI programming in developing countries. Methods A review of relevant international experience was undertaken. In Bangladesh and Pakistan, local rural market surveys were carried out. In Bangladesh, structured face-to-face interviews with bakers and indepth interviews with processed food wholesalers and retailers were conducted. In Pakistan, face-to-face structured interviews were conducted with food retailers and food labels were checked. Results Experience from industrialized countries reveals impact resulting from the use of iodized salt in the food industry. In Bangladesh and Pakistan, bread, biscuits, and snacks containing salt are increasingly available in rural areas. In Bangladesh, the majority of bakers surveyed claimed to use iodized salt. In Pakistan, 6 of 362 unique product labels listed iodized salt. Conclusions Successful experience from developed countries needs to be adapted to the developing country context. The increasing availability of processed foods in rural Bangladesh and Pakistan provides an opportunity to increase iodine intake. However, the impact of this intervention remains to be quantified. To develop better national USI programs, further data are required on processed food consumption across population groups, iodine contents of food products, and the contribution of processed foods to iodine nutrition.

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Antioxidants versus Food Antioxidant Additives and Food Preservatives

Antioxidants ◽

10.3390/antiox8110542 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 8 (11) ◽

pp. 542 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Rafael Franco ◽

Gemma Navarro ◽

Eva Martínez-Pinilla

Keyword(s):

Food Industry ◽

Food Additives ◽

Point Of View ◽

Processed Foods ◽

Antioxidant Action ◽

Processed Food ◽

Food Preservatives ◽

Antioxidant Additives ◽

Useful Life ◽

Functional Point

Natural and processed foods are fragile and can become unpalatable and/or rotten. The processed food industry uses preservatives to enable distribution, even to different continents, and to extend the useful life of their products. Preservatives impede oxidation, a mandatory step in rotting, either by aerobic or anaerobic mechanisms. From a functional point of view, these compounds are antioxidants, and, therefore, a kind of contradiction exists when a preservative is considered “bad” for human health while also thinking that antioxidants provide benefits. The basis of antioxidant action, the doses required for preservation, and the overall antioxidant action are revisited in this work. Finally, the bad and the good of food additives/preservatives are presented, taking into account the main mediator of antioxidant beneficial actions, namely the innate mechanisms of detoxification. Foods that strengthen such innate mechanisms are also presented.

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Assessment of the contribution of industrially processed foods to salt and iodine intake in Thailand

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0253590 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (7) ◽

pp. e0253590

Author(s):

Saipin Chotivichien ◽

Nuntaya Chongchaithet ◽

Pattamaporn Aksornchu ◽

Nuntachit Boonmongkol ◽

Pattama Duangmusik ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Food Consumption ◽

Food Industry ◽

Salt Content ◽

Iodine Intake ◽

Lifestyle Changes ◽

Iodized Salt ◽

Soy Sauce ◽

Fish Sauce ◽

Processed Foods ◽

Processed Food

Iodization of food grade salt has been mandated in Thailand since 1994. Currently, processed food consumption is increasing, triggered by higher income, urbanization, and lifestyle changes, which affects the source of salt and potentially iodized salt among the population. However, adequate information about the use of iodized salt in processed foods in Thailand is still lacking. Therefore, this study aimed to assess iodine intake through salt-containing processed foods and condiments which were identified using national survey data. Potential iodine intake from iodized salt in food products was modelled using consumption data and product salt content from food labelling and laboratory analysis. Fish sauce, soy sauce and seasoning sauces (salty condiments) have alternative regulation allowing for direct iodization of the final product, therefore modelling was conducted including and excluding these products. Daily salt intake from household salt and food industry salt (including salty condiments) was estimated to be 2.4 g for children 0–5 years of age, 4.6 g for children 6–12 years of age, and 11.5 g for adults. The use of iodized salt in processed foods (excluding salty condiments) met approximately 100% of the estimated average requirement (EAR) for iodine for non-pregnant adults and for children 6 to 12 years of age, and 50% of the EAR for iodine for children aged 0 to 5 years of age. In all cases, iodine intake from processed food consumption was greater than from estimated household iodized salt consumption. Findings suggest that iodized salt from processed foods is an important source of iodine intake, especially in adults. The use of iodized salt by the food industry should be enforced along with population monitoring to ensure sustainability of optimal iodine intake. Currently, the addition of iodine into fish sauce, soy sauce and seasoning sauces has an important role in achieving and sustaining optimal iodine intake.

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Sustainability and ultra-processed foods: role of youth

Sustainability Agri Food and Environmental Research ◽

10.7770/safer-v0n0-art2337 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Deepanshi Gupta ◽

Purnima Khanal ◽

Maria Khan

Keyword(s):

Human Body ◽

Natural Environment ◽

Food Processing ◽

Well Being ◽

Processed Foods ◽

Processed Food ◽

Food Processing Industry ◽

Processing Industry ◽

The People

The objective of this research is to study and look at the ways how processed food affects human and environmental health and to find alternatives to processed food. Sustainability refers to the efforts made to meet the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to fulfil their requirements. Sustainability aims at environment-friendly progress and development. World Health Organization defines health as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. Processed food is any food that has been changed in its form and nature by using certain processing techniques such as freezing, canning and dehydrating. The focus of this research is “ultra-processed foods”. Ultra-processed foods are the final food product that is processed by using chemicals and unnatural preservatives. As defined by the United Nations, youth refers to the young people who fall in the age group of 15-24 years.The problem: ultra-processed foods and its impact on human and environmental wellbeing. The food processing industry is largely driven by profit-making objectives owing to the intense competition in the market. The manufacturers of food processing have to ensure that they don’t lose out their customers to their competitors. To maintain their consumer base the manufacturers work to make their processed food desirable and attractive. In the process, they resort to the usage of such products that are unnatural and unhealthy for both the human body as well as the environment. Some of the examples of such ingredients include chemicals used for preserving, colouring, and adding texture and flavour to the natural food, refined carbohydrates, sweeteners, and processed vegetable oils.Due to the use of above-mentioned ingredients, the consumption of ultra-processed foods becomes harmful to the human body. It has been found out through research that their consumption does not add any nutritional value to the human body. Moreover, it becomes very difficult for the human body to digest ultra-processed foods. Some people become addicted to such food and it has been studied that some food products are more addictive than drugs. Apart from this, the intake of the ultra-processed foods increases the instances of several diseases such as heart ailments, diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity.Processed food also impacts the natural environment. The waste generated after the processing of the food and the handling of the waste affects the air, water and soil. The process of handling and packaging of the product results in the release of harmful chemicals and toxins in the environment. This not only affects the natural environment but also human health. The solution to this problem is to create awareness about the harmful effects of ultra-processed foods and to promote sustainable alternatives to it. The youth can play a very important role in spreading awareness about the ill-effects as well as the alternatives to the ultra-processed foods. The sample of our study is the young consumers of ultra-processed foods of the University of Delhi. This is because the youth is the largest consumer of the ultra-processed foods and they can work towards promoting more sustainable and healthy food choices and habits amongst people. The research questions are: 1) What are the different kinds of ultra-processed foods that are consumed by people? 2) How does the food processing industry work? 3) How can the youth be made aware about the ill-effects of ultra-processed foods? 4) What are the sustainable alternatives to ultra-processed foods? 5) What role youth can play in promoting sustainable alternatives? The hypothesis are: 1) Ultra-processed foods affect the environment and human well-being negatively. 2) The youth can play a positive role in promoting alternatives to ultra-processed foods.The research methodology, is the theoretical and empirical analysis of the study. The nudge theory would be applied to understand how alternatives can be promoted by the youth. Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein introduced the concept of nudging and defined a nudge as “any aspect of the choice, architecture that predictably alters people’s behaviour without forbidding any options or significantly changing their economic incentives.” It doesn’t mean restricting the options available to the people but it means regulating their behaviour. The questionnaires and surveys to assess the consuming habits of the people and the use of pictorial and graphical representation of the data collected through the surveys and questionnaires are used. Despite the study focuses on the role of the youth, the surveys were conducted with youth as well as adults to make the study more inclusive and comprehensive.

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The role of the transnational ultra-processed food industry in the pandemic of obesity and its associated diseases: problems and solutions

World Nutrition ◽

10.26596/wn.201910189-99 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

pp. 89-99 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Carlos A. Monteiro ◽

Geoffrey John Cannon

Keyword(s):

Food Systems ◽

Food Industry ◽

Processed Foods ◽

Lower Income ◽

Processed Food ◽

Civil Society Organisations ◽

Healthy Diets ◽

Problems And Solutions ◽

Lower Income Countries

Policies to control and prevent the pandemic of obesity and related conditions and diseases have failed. This is because the efficient causes of the pandemic have not yet been agreed. We state here that its outstanding immediate cause is the increased and rapidly increasing consumption of ultra-processed foods, which displace unprocessed or minimally processed foods and freshly prepared dishes and meals, most conspicuously now in middle- and lower-income countries. The underlying cause of this is the phenomenal rise since the 1980s of the transnational corporations whose huge profits depend on the use of cheap ingredients and arrays of additives made into ultra-processed food. The scale and power of the transnationals, which tend towards oligopoly, and their penetration of middle and lower-income countries, have been accelerated by global political and economic agreements that have deregulated trade and allowed capital flow that opens countries to penetration by foreign businesses. Food is essential for life and health, but there is no need to consume ultra-processed foods. In this sense, they are similar to tobacco products. The same statutory policies and programmes that are applied to smoking should be adapted to limit and reduce consumption of ultra-processed foods. Revenue from taxation should be used to protect local food producers and retailers, to promote healthy and sustainable diets, and to ensure food security for vulnerable populations. Overall, a Framework Convention on Food Systems, promulgated by the relevant United Nations agencies as agreed by UN member states, supported by professional and civil society organisations and social movements, is needed. This will be designed to create healthy food systems and supplies and thus healthy diets that also are beneficial socially, culturally, economically and environmentally.

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Perceived Overprotection and Its Association With Quality of Life in Dementia

GeroPsych ◽

10.1024/1662-9647/a000207 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 32 (3) ◽

pp. 125-134

Author(s):

Mechthild Niemann-Mirmehdi ◽

Andreas Häusler ◽

Paul Gellert ◽

Johanna Nordheim

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Patient Autonomy ◽

Positive Association ◽

Well Being ◽

Negative Association ◽

Significant Positive Association ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

People With Dementia ◽

Mental Well Being

Abstract. To date, few studies have focused on perceived overprotection from the perspective of people with dementia (PwD). In the present examination, the association of perceived overprotection in PwD is examined as an autonomy-restricting factor and thus negative for their mental well-being. Cross-sectional data from the prospective DYADEM study of 82 patient/partner dyads (mean age = 74.26) were used to investigate the association between overprotection, perceived stress, depression, and quality of life (QoL). The analyses show that an overprotective contact style with PwD has a significant positive association with stress and depression, and has a negative association with QoL. The results emphasize the importance of avoiding an overprotective care style and supporting patient autonomy.

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