WeightControl.com Interview with:
Fernanda Rauber, PhD
Researcher at the Centre for Epidemiological Research in Nutrition and Health (NUPENS)University of São Paulo (USP) and
Department of Preventive Medicine
School of Medicine at USP, Brazil
Lead author of this study
WeightControl.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: Although we already have substantial evidence of the negative impact of an ultra-processed food-based diet on health, solid public policies to discourage the consumption of these products are still lacking, especially in countries like the United Kingdom. Plant-based foods are recommended in many dietary guidelines, and this area has been explored by the food industry, which uses health claims (vegetarian, vegan, plant-based) to promote its products.
With a growing population adopting plant-based diets, studying the role of food processing in plant-based dietary patterns and its relation to cardiovascular diseases can help refine guidelines to incorporate considerations about food processing in their recommendations.