HJNO Jul/Aug 2025

MAHA REPORT 24  JUL / AUG 2025 I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS   109 Simopoulos, A. P. (2008). The importance of the omega-6/omega-3 fatty acid ratio in cardiovascular disease and other chronic diseases. Experimental Biology and Medicine, 233(6), 674–688. 110 Hall, K. D., Ayuketah, A., Brychta, R., Cai, H., Cassimatis, T., Chen, K. Y., Chung, S. T., Costa, E., Courville, A., Darcey, V., Fletcher, L. A., Forde, C. G., Gharib, A. M., Guo, J., Howard, R., Joseph, P. V., McGehee, S., Ouwerkerk, R., Raisinger, K., Rozga, I., … Zhou, M. (2019). Ultra-Processed Diets Cause Excess Calorie Intake and Weight Gain: An Inpatient Randomized Controlled Trial of Ad Libitum Food Intake. Cell metabolism, 30(1), 67– 77.e3. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2019.05.008. 111 Gupta, A., Osadchiy, V., & Mayer, E. A. (2020). Brain–gut–microbiome interactions in obesity and food addiction. Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 17(11), 655-672. 112 Delpino, F. M., Figueiredo, L. M., Bielemann, R. M., Da Silva, B. G. C., Dos Santos, F. S., Mintem, G. C., ... & Nunes, B. P. (2022). Ultra-processed food and risk of type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal studies. International journal of epidemiology, 51(4), 1120- 1141. 113 Whelan, K., Bancil, A. S., Lindsay, J. O., & Chassaing, B. (2024). Ultra-processed foods and food additives in gut health and disease. Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 21(6), 406-427. 114 Hall, K. D., Ayuketah, A., Brychta, R., Cai, H., Cassimatis, T., Chen, K. Y., Chung, S. T., Costa, E., Courville, A., Darcey, V., Fletcher, L. A., Forde, C. G., Gharib, A. M., Guo, J., Howard, R., Joseph, P. V., McGehee, S., Ouwerkerk, R., Raisinger, K., Rozga, I., … Zhou, M. (2019). Ultra-Processed Diets Cause Excess Calorie Intake and Weight Gain: An Inpatient Randomized Controlled Trial of Ad Libitum Food Intake. Cell metabolism, 30(1), 67– 77.e3. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2019.05.008. 115 Dagbasi, A., Byrne, C., Blunt, D., Serrano-Contreras, J. I., Becker, G. F., Blanco, J. M., ... & Frost, G. (2024). Diet shapes the metabolite profile in the intact human ileum, which affects PYY release. Science translational medicine, 16(752), eadm8132. 116 Luiten, C. M., Steenhuis, I. H., Eyles, H., Mhurchu, C. N., & Waterlander, W. E. (2016). Ultra-processed foods have the worst nutrient profile, yet they are the most available packaged products in a sample of New Zealand supermarkets. Public health nutrition, 19(3), 530-538. 117 Lasschuijt, M. P., de Graaf, K., & Mars, M. (2021). Effects of oro-sensory exposure on satiation and underlying neurophysiological mechanisms— what do we know so far?. Nutrients, 13(5), 1391. 118 Stribiţcaia, E., Evans, C. E., Gibbons, C., Blundell, J., & Sarkar, A. (2020). Food texture influences on satiety: systematic review and meta-analysis. Scientific reports, 10(1), 12929. 119 Morell, P., & Fiszman, S. (2017). Revisiting the role of protein-induced satiation and satiety. Food Hydrocolloids, 68, 199–210. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/ article/abs/pii/S0268005X1630340X. 120 National Research Council (US) Committee on Diet, Nutrition, and Cancer. Diet, Nutrition, and Cancer: Directions for Research. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 1983. 8, Food Additives, Contaminants, Carcinogens, and Mutagens. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK216714/. 3. Inclusion of FoodAdditives Over 2,500 food additives—including emulsifiers, binders, sweeteners, colorings, and preservatives —may be used to mimic the taste and texture of conventional food and increase its shelf life. 120 Studies have linked certain food additives to increased risks of mental disorders, ADHD, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndromes and even carcinogenic effects. 121 Specific additives of potential concern include, but are not limited to: • Certain food colorings, such as red 40, which is present in widely-consumed products have been associated with behavioral issues in children, such as increased hyperactivity and symptoms consistent withADHD. 122123124 Additionally, preliminary evidence suggests a possible association between the consumption of food colorings and autism, although further long-term research is necessary to establish a definitive link. 125 • Titanium Dioxide, widely used in a range of candies and sauces, may cause cellular and DNA damage. 126 127 • Propylparaben, a preservative used in baked goods and snacks, shows estrogenic activity, potentially disrupting hormonal balance. 128 • Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT), found in common snacks and cereals, is a preservative that may be associated with tumor growth in rodent studies. 129 130 • Artificial Sweeteners like aspartame, sucralose, and saccharin, used widely in diet sodas and sugar-free foods, have been observed to interfere with the gut microbiome in some studies. 131 Gut microbiome shifts have been linked to obesity, metabolic issues, and possibly glucose intolerance. 132 The classification of aspartame as possibly carcinogenic (Group 2B) by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) 133 further complicates the understanding of these widely used substances, especially given the existence of conflicting research results. One notable example of concern around food additives is infant formula. In recent years, someAmerican parents have turned to Euro- pean formula brands, driven by supply concerns and questions regarding the number and types of additives found in U.S. formulas. 134 Additives in processed foods are consumed in complex combinations, where cumulative and synergistic effects may amplify harm beyond individual components. 135 Yet, testing often ignores these interactions, particularly in children. With dozens of additives consumed daily, these overlooked risks could be significantly impacting children’s health. The Impact of Ultra-Processed Foods and the Vital Role of Whole Foods in Children’s Health Human health and biology rely heavily on dietary inputs. During gestation, fetal development depends on maternal nutrition, influencing everything – frommembrane composition and mitochondrial integrity to nervous systemwiring and hormone regulation. This programming ultimately determines the child’s long-termmetabolic, cognitive, and immune resilience. UPFs make up over 50% of the diets of pregnant and postpartummothers, 136 despite evidence that increased UPF consumption during pregnancy negatively impacts health outcomes for their children. 137 This trend is mirrored in the wider population, where the rise in UPF consumption poses threats to human health across the lifespan: • A recent study published in Nature Medicine estimated that sugar-sweetened beverages alone may be responsible for ~1.2 million new cases of heart disease and 340,000 deaths worldwide in 2020 alone. 138 • An umbrella review of 45 meta-analyses published in the BMJ analyzing data from nearly 10 million participants, found that higher consumption of ultra-processed foods is linked to 32 adverse health outcomes, including increased risks of cardiovascular disease,