The Know Daily - Tuesday 10 October

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A group of 45 nations, including Britain, the US, Australia and Japan, have launched a new effort to protect the world’s remaining coral reefs. Dubbed the Coral Reef Breakthrough, the initiative aims to raise $12 billion by 2030 to protect at least 125,000 square kilometres of shallow-water tropical coral reefs.

🍫 Are UPFs addictive?

Researchers have called for certain ultra-processed foods (UPFs) to be labelled as “addictive”, in a bid to improve global public health.

First things first - what are UPFs?
The term “ultra-processed foods” was devised by Brazilian scientists in 2010, as they “sought an explanation for the obesity epidemic”, said The Times. It refers to foods made by a series of industrial processes, which often contain multiple ingredients, additives and preservatives. “[It’s] food that you wouldn’t be able to recreate in your own kitchen,” explained BBC Good Food.

More than half of the typical British daily diet is now estimated to be made up of UPFs, which include most breakfast cereals, processed meat and chocolate bars.

So what have researchers now found?
A team of academics from the US, Brazil and Spain reviewed 281 studies from 26 different countries, finding that “ultra-processed food addiction” is estimated to occur in one in seven adults and one in eight children.

They concluded that the way some people consume these foods could “meet the criteria for diagnosis of substance use disorder”, with some people experiencing intense cravings and withdrawal symptoms.

What makes UPFs so addictive?
Writing in the BMJ, the team stressed that not all foods have addictive potential and said more research is needed to determine exactly how UPFs trigger an addictive response.

The specific composition of UPFs means they can disrupt “brain reward systems”, researchers said, evoking similar levels of dopamine to those seen with addictive substances such as nicotine and alcohol. The speed at which these foods deliver carbohydrates and fats to the gut - as well as their use of food additives - could play a role.

“Some experts have recently suggested the products are being unfairly demonised,” The Guardian pointed out, adding: “however, all experts say more research is urgently needed”.

So what are researchers calling for?
They have said that “courageous action” is needed by governments around the world to take on the food industry and reduce the availability of UPFs. Researchers highlighted policies in Chile and Mexico, where UPFs must have warning labels on packets.

Labelling some of these foods as “addictive” could potentially improve public health, they have argued, through changes to social, clinical and political policies.