Strong criticism of the new dietary advice

Strong criticism of the new dietary advice

For the first time in more than ten years, the recommendations need to be updated.

But the new dietary advice has criticism.

400 nutrition experts, who reviewed the NNR recommendations, react highly to the advice for ultra-processed foods, SvD reports.

misinformation

A call to eat less highly processed food is missing from the report.

This surprises many nutritionists.

Marit Colby is a food biologist and critic.

She believes the new recommendations give an incorrect picture of the consequences of ultra-processed foods.

The background article states that there is strong evidence for reducing intake of ultra-processed foods, but in the draft report there is no such advice. The panel also highlights the knowledge base as limited and uncertain. It’s a misrepresentation, says Marit Colby of the SvD, especially with regard to obesity and overweight.

risk of many diseases

Philippa Gull, a food researcher at New York University’s School of Global Public Health, is one of the authors of the background paper.

Shares Marit Colby’s assessment.

Studies clearly show that there are strong links between ultra-processed foods and many types of health indicators, such as mortality, obesity, and diabetes. I support what you wrote in the background chapter, but not with what the committee wrote in the final report, says Filippa Juul for SvD

Respond to criticism

The NNR Committee responded to the criticism.

They point out, among other things, that the term “ultra-processed foods” includes many of the food items already covered by the new advice.

The committee also believes that there is insufficient knowledge that ultra-processed foods lead to poor health.

Facts about ultra-processed foods

Ultra-processed food is a term that refers to foods that have been processed “too much” or in a way that is negative for health.

Products that contain added fat and sugar are classified as ultra-processed. For example chips, ice cream, sweets, chocolate and sweetened breakfast cereals. Processed meats such as sausage and charcuterie also count as ultra-processed.

There are many studies that show that the risk of obesity and chronic diseases increases if you eat a lot of ultra-processed foods, but there are also ultra-processed foods that are healthy.

Examples of foods that would contribute to healthy eating habits but are also classified as ultra-processed, depending on what they contain, could be:

• Prepared food similar to what you can cook yourself, for example soup, stuffed pasta, sandwich, cabbage, frozen pizza, or dumplings
• An artificially processed wholemeal bread that contains extra gluten
• Veggie burger that contains soy protein
• Granola contains fiber that provides sweetness
• Flavored cream cheese with stabilizer
• Low fat mayonnaise with an emulsifier to make

Source: Swedish Food Agency

Photo: El Hansel

Text: Editors