Nutritional psychiatrist Felice Jacka: ‘The global food system is the leading cause of early death’
www.theguardian.com
The Australian scientist on the links between ultra-processed foods and decreased brain health, and the effect of government policy and industry resistance

Felice Jacka, a leading researcher of nutritional psychiatry, has found links between ultra-processed foods and the health of our brains. She explains that our gut microbiome affects various aspects of health, including metabolism, blood glucose, body weight, gene expression, serotonin levels, stress response, mitochondrial function, and immune system. Jacka’s research has shown that a western junk food diet can impair cognitive functions and shrink the hippocampus, a brain region important for mental health, learning, and memory. The industrialized food system, which produces ultra-processed foods, is the leading cause of illness, early death, and biodiversity loss globally, costing around $20tn per year. Jacka suggests that reducing consumption of ultra-processed foods is crucial, but acknowledges that many people don’t have the option due to their affordability and the lack of healthy choices available. She has also found a connection between ultra-processed foods, poor diet quality in mothers and children, and neurodevelopmental disorders such as ADHD. Jacka acknowledges that the term “ultra-processed food” may have some fuzzy borders and misclassifications, but warns against industry tactics to confuse people and muddy the waters, similar to what the tobacco industry did with smoking and lung cancer.

    • Dojan
      8•1 year ago

      Wow, I’m so glad there’s a level-headed person like you around that definitely don’t put words in people’s mouths! Now be a darling and point out where exactly I was cheering on over-processed and undernutritious foods. I’ll wait.

      The thing about junk food is that it is just that, junk. Your body craves more nutrition and you end up hungrier. Thus if all you have access to is junk, for monetary reasons or because you live in a food desert and all you have access to is highly processed food filed with preservatives, you end up with a problem.

      You can see this in animals too. The cheap-arse kibble you can buy at any old supermarket is filled with junk filler that isn’t good for your pets, which is why we end up with OMG LOL SO CUTE CHOMKERS!

    • insomniac_lemon
      5•1 year ago

      My first thought with your source is that MSG is a naturally occurring substance, just containing is a really low bar. That and I’d imagine if you actually go by intentionally added there probably isn’t a high-prevalence of MSG-high foods, as most stuff would rather just load it with salt instead (even Ramen noodles I’ve seen happily slap an MSG-free logo up as if it’s a selling point). Also sugar, which directly relates to obesity.

      That and any actual allergy is likely nocebo effect (or actually high-salt).

        • insomniac_lemon
          2•1 year ago

          Re-read the bold part I put up, lol.

          Not taking it at face-value, due to some of what’s present in the rest of the study.

          food companies know that some people are very sensitive to MSG so they started listing it as different names. If it says protein, you’ve got yourself a form of MSG

          You missed my point. Restated, found in wiki page of Glutamic acid:

          Glutamic acid, being a constituent of protein, is present in foods that contain protein

          Significant amounts of free glutamic acid are present in a wide variety of foods, including cheeses and soy sauce, and glutamic acid is responsible for umami, one of the five basic tastes

          So yes, protein can be an ingredient that adds flavors and some form of glutamate. It’s not a trick, the flavor wouldn’t be there without it and most people aren’t going to have any negative reaction.

          Also found this interesting tidbit:

          Some protein-rich plant foods also serve as sources. 30% to 35% of gluten (much of the protein in wheat) is glutamic acid

          So there might be some similarity here to gluten allergy? (though MSG itself does not seem to affect those with gluten allergy)

          Even if not, the practice of using ingredients that may cause gluten allergy in what-should-be-gluten-free food definitely is similar. They not trying to “hide” gluten either, they just didn’t take it into consideration.

    • Zorque
      4•1 year ago

      Well its a good thing you’re not overreacting and overemphasized a trait that doesn’t exist in someone you emotionally disagree with.