Are ultra-processed foods really that bad for us?
Our supermarket shelves are stocked full of ‘ultra-processed foods’, such as fizzy drinks, lollies and chips. These foods are often made by multinational food companies making profits by selling food products that are not good for our health. But there are other foods, such as mass-produced, packaged whole-grain bread, that are generally thought of as healthy but are also counted as ‘ultra-processed’. There is growing debate around how useful it is to combine lots of different foods together into one ‘ultra-processed’ category.
In this talk, Dr Kathryn Bradbury will explore the ultra-processed food concept and whether there is a role in our diets for some of these foods. She will consider whether all minimally processed foods are healthy and whether we should have recommendations to avoid eating ultra-processed foods. She will also explore what can be done to improve our food environments and protect policies aimed at improving public health from the influence of multinational food companies.
Bio
Dr Kathryn Bradbury is a senior research fellow and the director of research in the School of Population Health at the University of Auckland. She also currently holds a Senior Heart Foundation Fellowship. She has published many works in peer-reviewed academic journals and edited several book chapters. Broadly, Kathryn’s research is focused on healthy and sustainable diets, and she has a long-standing interest in the role of diet in the development of cancer and cardiovascular disease.
Event
6:30pm @The Birdcage Tavern, 133 Franklin Road, Freemans Bay, Auckland 1011
Also speaking at this location at 8:00pm is Nadia Dabee
