Ultra-Processed People: The Science Behind Food That Isn't Food

Type 2 diabetes is a metabolic disease linked to obesity caused by elevated levels of blood sugar.

Emulsifiers are substances commonly used in the production of UPF to bind together different ingredients and fluids. Emulsifiers have been linked to damage to the human microbiome.

Macronutrients are a type of food required in large amounts in the diet. Fat, protein, carbohydrates, and salt are examples.

A microbiome is a community of microorganisms living in a given habitat. Microbiomes commonly refer to the community of organisms living in the human gut.

Micronutrients are chemical elements or substances required in trace amounts for the health of a living organism. Examples of micronutrients include vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin C and iron.

The NOVA sale is a scale formalized by Carlos Monteiro in 2010 to categorize food according to the degree and nature of its processing. Foods in groups 1 to 3 on the NOVA scale involve minimal or non-industrial processing. In contrast, group 4 foods, or UPF, involve at least some processing of an exclusively industrial nature.

Nutritionism is a nutritional philosophy that holds that the health of foods can be judged according to the amounts of macro- and micronutrients they contain. For example, a food might be considered “bad” because it contains high amounts of fat.

Obesity is a condition where excessive or unusual body fat accumulation poses a risk to health. Adults are considered obese if they have a body mass index of over 30.