Ultra-processed foods and alcohol contribute to 2.7 million deaths a year across Europe, warns World Health Organization

Ultra-processed foods (UPF), alcohol, tobacco and fossil fuels kill 2.7 million people every year across Europe, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned.

Experts say “powerful industries” are causing health problems and premature deaths because they interfere with government policies and efforts to reduce cancer, heart disease and diabetes.

two

two

In a new report, the WHO called for “strict regulation” and for authorities to push forward health policies that are regularly “challenged, delayed, weakened or disrupted” by industry.

The WHO stated that “more than 7,400 people die every day” in its European region due to harmful products and practices.

It stated: “These commercial products contribute to 24 percent of all deaths, including significant mortality from cardiovascular disease (51.4 percent) and cancer (46.4 percent).”

Overall, the tobacco, alcohol, UPF and fuel industries are wholly or partially responsible for 2.7 million deaths per year in Europe, according to the document.

Meanwhile, the global picture shows that tobacco, UPF, fossil fuels and alcohol cause 19 million deaths per year, or 34 percent of all deaths.

Analyzing the data, the WHO stated that 1.15 million annual deaths in Europe are caused by smoking, 426,857 by alcohol, 117,290 by diets rich in processed meats and 252,187 by diets rich in salt.

These numbers don’t even include deaths caused by obesity, high blood pressure, high blood sugar or high cholesterol levels – all linked to unhealthy diets, he said.

The report calls on governments to recognize the tactics used by the industry – such as blaming individuals, marketing, spreading misinformation, social media promotions, lobbying and “subversion of science”, for example through funding research that promotes its objectives.

The WHO has stated that the “primary interest of all large corporations is profit,” although having a large market share “often also translates into political power.”

He added: “Regardless of the product they sell, their interests align with neither public health nor the broader public interest.

“Any policy that could impact their sales and profits is therefore a threat, and they should play no role in developing that policy.”

The report states that, with the exception of tobacco rules, “global efforts to regulate harmful marketing have been underwhelming at best.”

It added: “While there are legal measures regulating the marketing of alcohol and unhealthy foods in several countries in the WHO European region and across the world, these are often narrow in scope, focused on specific media outlets or environments. , in certain population groups or in specific marketing. techniques and therefore provide insufficient protection.”

Furthermore, voluntary codes where industry says it can regulate itself are ineffective, the WHO said,

Dr Hans Kluge, WHO regional director for Europe, said: “Four industries kill at least 7,000 people in our region every day.

“The same large commercial entities block regulation that would protect the public from harmful products and marketing, and protect health policy from industry interference.

“Industry tactics include exploiting vulnerable people through targeted marketing strategies, misleading consumers and making false claims about the benefits of their products or their environmental credentials.

“These tactics threaten the public health gains of the last century and prevent countries from achieving their health goals.”

Belgian Deputy Prime Minister Frank Vandenbroucke, who launched the study, said: “For a long time we have considered risk factors to be mainly linked to individual choices.

“We need to reframe the problem as a systemic problem, where policy has to combat ‘hyperconsumer environments’, restrict marketing and stop interference in policymaking.”

In the UK, the Tobacco and Vapes Act – which would restrict the marketing of vapes to children and ban children from taking up smoking – failed to pass Parliament before being dissolved for the General Election.

Plans to combat the promotion of foods high in fat, sugar or salt have also been postponed until 2025.

Kendra Chow, policy and public relations manager at the Global Cancer Research Fund, who contributed to the report, welcomed the “damning” study, adding that “public health must be prioritized over profits”.

But Rebeca Fernsndez, scientific director at FoodDrinkEurope, which represents the food and drink industry, said linking UPF consumption with tobacco and fossil fuels was “outrageously misleading”.

“We all need food – and we all need processed food,” she said.

“Unfortunately, the WHO report does not recognize that there is no agreed definition of what ultra-processed foods are, let alone their impact on health, which is why, last year, the independent Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition of the UK government United concluded that there is insufficient evidence to date to use UPF terminology to define public health guidelines.

“Instead, well-established food nutrition science around the world tells us that the best way to combat obesity and non-communicable diseases is to focus on the nutritional content of a food and how often you consume it, in conjunction with the type of lifestyle you lead.

“That’s why food and drink manufacturers here in Europe are playing their part by reformulating products to reduce salt, fat and sugars, while increasing fiber and micronutrients.”

Healthy UPF Exchanges

BREAKFAST

• Swap processed cereal for yogurt and oatmeal
• Swap seedless bread for jam or a sliced ​​bakery loaf with nut butter

LUNCH

• Swap ham sandwiches for pasta salad with homemade pesto
• Swap French fries for homemade pitta chips

SNACKS

• Swap granola bars for homemade granola bars
• Swap dried fruit for fresh fruit

TO HAVE LUNCH

• Swap supermarket chicken nuggets for homemade chicken nuggets
• Swap supermarket pizza for DIY pizza
• Swap a canned tomato sauce for canned tomatoes with herbs

Source: Nutritional therapist Daisy Nicomanis