FROM protein bars and sugary cereals to ready meals and biscuits, Spain’s supermarket aisles are increasingly filling up with more and more ultra-processed foods (UPFs).
Now the Spanish government is taking steps in a bid to make the country healthier with a string of new legislation coming in this year.
A study by The Lancet reveals these convenient options account for 32% of daily calories for the average Spaniard, rising from 11% just 20 years ago.
Spain now consumes more UPFs than the European average (27%), while in the UK UPFs now account for 50% of calorie intake and the US a shocking 55%.
They are alarming statistics for the industrially-manufactured foods made from ingredients you are unlikely to find in your kitchen cupboards.
They contain chemical additives including emulsifiers, sweeteners and dyes and are designed to be palatable, convenient and extremely profitable for manufacturers.
It can be easy to reach for UPFs, but the experts behind the study warn of adverse health outcomes.
Cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, depression and premature mortality are all linked to high consumption of UPFs.
These health risks have led several experts to dub UPFs ‘the new smoking’.
Spain is regularly ranked as one of the healthiest countries in the world but UPFs threaten the health and lifestyle of the nation.
The life expectancy of an average Spaniard, at 84, is 2.3 years more than the European average and the third highest in Europe.
The good health of Spain is often attributed to the Mediterranean diet, consisting of legumes, vegetables, fish, less red meat and fewer processed foods.
Rich in healthy fats from extra virgin olive oil and oily fish, fiber and polyphenols, this diet boosts heart, gut and brain health.
As UPFs establish themselves as a major part of the Spanish diet, the health of the nation is endangered.
The Mediterranean diet also fosters social connection with friends and family sharing food and enjoying hours-long ‘sobremesas’.
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The traditional way of life uses ingredients which are seasonal and local, benefitting social health and the environment.
Experts advise marketing restrictions, especially adverts directed at children, and removing the products from school cafeterias and hospitals.
The Spanish government is taking this advice seriously.
Pablo Bustinduy, Minister for Consumer Affairs, introduced a royal decree on December 18 which outlines that UPFs will be removed from hospital menus for children and adolescents.
It will only be served to adults in hospital care twice a week and 80% of vending machine stock must be healthy.
He said: “It is incomprehensible that the Administration allows unhealthy food options to prevail, whether in public schools, hospitals, residences or any other space”.
It remains to be seen whether this legislation will stall the rise of UPFs in Spain.
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