The problem of ultra-processed food in healthcare settings

Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) can be defined as:

‘industrial formulations of many ingredients, mostly of exclusive industrial use, that result from a sequence of industrial processes.’

There is a positive association between UPF consumption and excessive dietary added sugar intake. Excessive free sugar intake (sugar added to food or drink) is associated with obesity, type 2 diabetes and dental decay, among other health outcomes (Rauber et al, 2019). Despite this:

‘UPFs account for 56.8% of total energy intake and 64.7% of total free sugars in the UK diet.’

The Premier Foods Hospital Catering Solutions Guide (Premier Foods, 2017: 8), on the website of the Hospital Caterers Association (HCA), boasts that ‘our top 15 recommended Premier Foods products for hospitals’ include flavoured jelly, scone mix, ice-cream mix, soft bap mix, custard powder and Angel Delight.

Monica Gupta, a London hospital-based NHS consultant paediatrician incorporating health in secondary care, and founder of Holistic Paediatric Health (www.holisticpaediatrichealth.com) told BJN: ‘[I worry] about how much UPF contributes to the standard daily diet and how “normal” this is. On paediatric wards we offer sliced white bread, concentrated fruit juices, frozen/defrosted highly processed meals with UPF ice-cream/cakes and jelly as puddings. Why?’