The Impact of Ultra-Processed Foods: Why They’re Fuelling the Obesity Crisis

As most people are aware, we are facing an obesity and poor health epidemic. While there isn’t a single cause, one of the leading contributors is the impact of ultra-processed foods.

Ultra-processed foods account for a significant percentage of obesity-related health issues in modern Western societies, and there’s a wealth of data to support this. These foods are directly linked to 32 harmful health effects, including an increased risk of heart disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, adverse mental health outcomes, and early death, according to the world’s largest review of its kind.

In the UK and US, more than half of the average diet now consists of ultra-processed foods.

Diabetes:

It's also quite shocking to look at the latest statistics on type 2 diabetes. According to the NHS, as of June 12, 2024, over half a million more people in England (549,000) were identified as being at risk of developing type 2 diabetes in just one year.

The latest National Diabetes Audit shows that 3,615,330 people registered with a GP in 2023 were diagnosed with non-diabetic hyperglycaemia (pre-diabetes), compared to 3,065,825 in 2022—an increase of almost 18%.

While factors like age, genetics, and family history play a role in type 2 diabetes, I can tell everyone that regular exercise and dietary changes are two of the most effective ways to manage blood sugar, improve insulin sensitivity, and reduce the risk of complications.

Takeaways:

When was the last time you saw a McDonald’s that wasn’t busy? Globally, McDonald's serves over 69 million people every day, the fuck! Also, did you know the average Uber Eats driver earns between £26,638 and £30,378 per year—the fuck! Now, I don’t want to knock the delivery drivers, but my god, the company must be rolling in it.

According to NimbleFins, the average UK household spends a staggering £1,628 a year on takeaways and dining out. VoucherCodes.co.uk also reveals that the average person in the UK spends at least £110 a month on takeaways and eating out—meaning that some people could be spending anywhere from £110 to £135 a month on junk food. And again, to remind you, this is just takeaways; then you have the never-ending issues of supermarkets selling rubbish to you all the time.

Anyway, to bring this rant to a close—I'm extremely passionate about helping people beat this poor health epidemic by offering support.

So, if you know anyone who could benefit from my help, please let me know. I have some availability this month to take on new clients, and I genuinely care about helping others. It's disheartening to see the impact of this issue everywhere. It’s a shame that people often choose to fuel an industry that contributes to illness rather than investing in the personal training space, where they could experience a significant positive impact on their lives.

Also, I would recommend everyone to use the App Yuka, it's a free app that allows you to scan food and personal care products and instantly see the impact on your health. I'll write more on this soon.

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