Spain has long been famed for its healthy mediterranean diet, but a new study warns of a sharp rise in ultra-processed food consumption.
The major international analysis was published in The Lancet, citing 43 global experts in public health and nutrition.
According to their findings, almost one-third of the average Spaniard’s total calorie intake comes from highly processed foods.
The global research warns of the worldwide expansion of ultra-processed products, which are made with cheap ingredients such as hydrogenated oils, protein isolates and glucose or fructose syrups, as well as cosmetic additives like colourants, flavourings, artificial sweeteners and emulsifiers.
The experts warn it is damaging diet quality, displacing fresh foods and raising the risk of multiple chronic diseases.
The Spanish co-authors include Maira Bes-Rastrollo, professor of Preventive Medicine and Public Health at the University of Navarra, and Renata Bertazzi Levy, now part of the Primary Care Unit in Salamanca (APISAL).
The study shows that in just 30 years in Spain, ultra-processed foods have gone from accounting for 11% of calorie intake to 32%. This trend has raised alarm within the scientific community.
‘The evidence confirms that ultra-processed foods are changing the way we eat and affecting the population’s health,’ said Bes-Rastrollo.
The research underscores the need to recover the traditional Mediterranean diet as a benchmark for public health.
Bertazzi Levy said the shift in dietary patterns is already visible both in Spain and worldwide, adding: ‘The rise of ultra-processed products is eroding traditional food cultures and contributing to the increase in chronic diseases.’
The group of articles published in The Lancet reviews more than 100 studies across countries and the conclusion is consistent.
Mainly, they warn that diets high in ultra-processed foods are linked to worse health outcomes, including higher risks of obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, gut and oral microbiota imbalances, depression and increased rates of premature mortality.
Bes-Rastrollo led one of the world’s first studies identifying the harmful effects of these products from her base in Navarra. Bertazzi Levy, meanwhile, focuses on their impact on microbiota health from Salamanca, aiming to understand the mechanisms that connect ultra-processed foods to chronic illnesses.
The Lancet analysis proposes a series of clear public policies, including mandatory front-of-pack labelling identifying ultra-processed foods.
They also call for restrictions on advertising, especially to children and on digital platforms, and the removal of ultra-processed products from school canteens, hospitals and public institutions.
