The 70% Problem We Can't Ignore

Dr. Natalie Muth
Nov 4
5 min read

There’s so much going on right now in the world of nutrition and health, along with a lot of misinformation, I am back to the blog to share credible nutrition and health information you can trust.

Did you know that nearly 70% of the food kids eat (and 60% of the calories they consume) are ultra-processed foods? Let that sink in for a moment. 7 of every 10 food items our kids consume have been extensively processed in ways that go far beyond anything we'd ever concoct in our home kitchens.

As both a pediatrician and a registered dietitian, I see the consequences of this dietary pattern every day. Nearly 1 in 5 American children have obesity, and rates continue to climb. But this isn't just about weight—it's about setting up our kids for a lifetime of chronic disease risk.

Here's the good news: This is modifiable. And I'm going to show you how.

What ARE Ultra-processed Foods, Anyway?

Let's start with clarity. The most widely used classification system is called NOVA, which divides foods into four groups:

Group 1: Unprocessed or minimally processed (fruits, vegetables, meat, eggs, milk)

Group 2: Processed culinary ingredients (salt, sugar, oils, butter)

Group 3: Processed foods (canned vegetables, cheese, freshly baked bread)

Group 4: Ultraprocessed foods (UPF) — THIS is where we need to focus.

Ultraprocessed foods are industrial formulations typically containing five or more ingredients, including substances you wouldn't find in a home kitchen:

High-fructose corn syrup
Hydrogenated oils
Emulsifiers
Artificial colors and flavors
Preservatives like sodium benzoate

These foods are engineered to be irresistible, convenient, and shelf-stable. They're designed to override our natural fullness signals and make us want more - even if we aren’t hungry.

Here's my simple test for families: Look at the ingredient list. If you see unfamiliar ingredients—things like "modified corn starch," "sodium benzoate," or "artificial flavor"—it's likely ultraprocessed.

But here's the tricky part: Not all packaged foods are ultraprocessed. Whole grain bread with five simple ingredients? Minimally processed. Mass-produced bread with fifteen ingredients including dough conditioners? Ultraprocessed.

Even foods marketed as "healthy" can be ultraprocessed—flavored yogurt with artificial sweeteners, protein bars with chemistry-experiment ingredient lists, some plant-based meat alternatives with extensive processing.

Not all ultra-processed foods are unhealthy. But most of them are. Ultra-processed foods on the whole tend to be high in sugar, salt, and saturated fat and low in fiber.

The Shocking Research Findings

A groundbreaking study published in January 2025 in JAMA Network Open followed over 2,000 Canadian children from age 3 to age 5. The findings were striking:

For every 10% increase in ultra-processed food consumption at age 3, researchers observed:

Higher BMI
Larger waist-to-height ratio
Increased body fat by age 5

And here's what's particularly important: These associations were independent of total calorie intake, sugar, sodium, and saturated fat. In other words, it's not just about calories or specific nutrients—there's something about the processing itself that appears problematic.

The study also found that effects were sex-specific, with boys showing stronger associations. Every 10% increase in UPF intake was associated with 19% higher odds of overweight or obesity in males specifically.

Beyond obesity, a major 2024 Spanish review found that children ages 3-6 eating the highest amounts of ultra-processed foods were more likely to have:

High blood pressure
Cholesterol issues
Insulin resistance (early markers of metabolic syndrome)

New research also links UPF consumption to anxiety and depression in children, though we need more data to understand causality.

Why Do Ultraprocessed Foods Promote Obesity?

We have several proposed mechanisms:

Hyperpalatability: These foods hit the "bliss point"—that perfect combination of sugar, salt, and fat that overrides natural satiety signals.
Energy density with low nutritional value: UPF provides lots of calories but little fiber, protein, or micronutrients. Kids consume huge amounts of energy without feeling satisfied.
Additives and emulsifiers: Research suggests these compounds may alter the gut microbiome and promote inflammation.
Displacement of nutrient-dense foods: When children fill up on UPF, they're not eating fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins—missing essential nutrients for growth and development.

What Should We Actually Do? Practical Steps

Let me be clear: I'm not asking you to cook everything from scratch or spend hours in the kitchen. Here's what I tell families:

Start with ONE swap. Don't overwhelm yourself. Pick one high-frequency ultraprocessed item and find a less-processed alternative:

Flavored yogurt → Plain yogurt with fresh fruit
Sugary cereal → Oatmeal with cinnamon and berries
Chips as an after-school snack → Hummus with vegetables or air-popped popcorn

Teach the ingredient test. Rea and show your kids how to read ingredient lists. Shorter is usually better. If you can't pronounce it or wouldn't use it at home, that's a red flag.

Shop the perimeter. The edges of grocery stores typically have fresh produce, fish and poultry, dairy, and eggs. The middle aisles are where most ultra-processed foods live.

Remember that frozen and canned can be nutritious. Budget is real. Frozen vegetables and canned beans are minimally processed, affordable, and convenient. They're great options.

Focus on what to ADD, not just remove. If we only talk about what not to eat, we create anxiety around food. Instead: "Let's add more colorful vegetables. Let's try new fruits. Let's experiment with different whole grains."

Real Barriers Deserve Real Solutions

"Healthy food is expensive." True for some items, false for others. Dried beans, brown rice, oats, eggs, frozen vegetables, seasonal produce—these are all affordable. Connect with resources: SNAP benefits, WIC, food pantries, community gardens.

"My kid won't eat anything healthy." Kids need repeated exposure—sometimes 8-10 or more times—before accepting new foods. Model healthy eating yourself. Involve them in meal prep. Make it fun, not a battle.

"I don't have time to cook." Batch cooking on weekends. Sheet pan dinners. Slow cooker meals. Even simple assemblies—rotisserie chicken, bagged salad, microwaved sweet potato—beat a drive-through meal.

"My cultural foods aren't considered healthy." Most if not all traditional diets from around the world are incredibly nutritious. The problem isn't ethnic cuisines—it's the westernization and ultra-processing of traditional foods. Let's find the minimally processed versions of cultural staples.

Remember: Something is better than nothing. If your family makes one small change, celebrate that.

An Important Note

Not all ultra-processed foods are created equal. Some serve critical medical purposes—hypoallergenic infant formulas can be lifesaving for babies with severe allergies. Specialized products for children with diabetes, metabolic disorders, or malabsorption conditions are essential.

This isn't about perfection or purity. It's about pattern. Most of what children eat, most of the time, should be minimally processed. Occasional ultra-processed foods—birthday cake, movie theater popcorn—aren't going to derail health and are fine to incorporate into a healthy eating plan.

The Bottom Line

The preschool years are a critical window for establishing healthy dietary patterns. What children eat from ages 3-6 predicts their dietary habits for life. You're not "just feeding them." You're setting the foundation for their long-term health.

Current guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics and American Heart Association recommend:

Zero added sugars for children under age 2
Less than 25 grams (6 teaspoons) of added sugar per day for children 2 and older
Less than 2,300 mg of sodium per day
Emphasizing whole, minimally processed foods

Small changes add up. Progress over perfection, always.

What's Next?

I'd love to hear from you: