Unhealthy Food Consumption

Definition

Proportion of the population age 15 years and older who consumed any of the following: (a) more than one sugary food or beverage or any soft drinks (including baked or grain-based sweets; other sweets; sweetened tea, coffee, or milk drinks; fruit juice or fruit drinks; soft drinks); (b) more than one ultraprocessed salty food (including packaged ultraprocessed salty snacks, instant noodles, fast food, processed meat, or deep fried food); or (c) processed meat.

Relevance

(a) The WHO recommends free sugars be limited to less than 10% of total energy. Excessive consumption of sugary foods may increase the risk of overweight and obesity and diet-related noncommunicable diseases, and is a marker of dietary transitions. Two or more sugary foods or beverages (or one soft drink) is related to a higher likelihood of exceeding the WHO sugar recommendation. (b) The WHO recommends sodium be limited to <2g/day (<5g/day salt). Excessive consumption of ultraprocessed salty foods may increase the risk of hypertension and diet-related noncommunicable diseases, and is a marker of dietary transitions. For this reason "processed foods high in salt" is reported in WHO STEPS survey fact sheets. Two or more ultraprocessed salty foods is related to a higher likelihood of exceeding the WHO salt recommendation. (c) The WHO IARC classifies processed meats as a class 1 carcinogen, being known to cause cancer. Processed meats are also high in sodium and saturated fat. Conusumption of processed meat is linked to increased risk of diet-related noncommunicable diseases.