Here’s Why You’re Addicted to Ultra-Processed Food | Chris van Tulleken | TEDxNewcastle
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Published 2023-12-13
UPFs now make up a staggering 60% of the average diet in the UK and USA with each of us ingesting 8kg of food additives per year. UPFs are now the leading cause of early death globally and the number one cause of environmental destruction.
Award-winning broadcaster, practicing NHS doctor and leading academic Chris van Tulleken marshals the latest evidence to reveal what UPFs are really doing to our bodies and the planet. Chris explores the invention of UPF and its impact on our health and weight – from altering metabolism and appetite, to an increased risk of serious health problems like cardiovascular disease and dementia. He shows that almost all our staple foods are ultra-processed – bread, cereal, biscuits, desserts, dairy products and condiments; explains why exercise and willpower cannot prevent obesity and ill health due to UPF; and provides solutions for individuals, policy makers and the food industry.
Chris’ ultimate recommendation is that Big Food needs to be regulated increasingly along the lines of how we have successfully regulated Big Tobacco. Chris van Tulleken has a medical degree from Oxford and a PhD in molecular virology from UCL. He is a practicing infectious diseases doctor in the NHS and an associate professor at University College London, where his research focuses on how corporations affect human health, especially in the context of nutrition.
He works closely with UNICEF and the World Health Organisation on infant nutrition. As one of the UK’s leading science broadcasters, Chris has won two BAFTAs for his long-running CBBC series Operation Ouch, co-presented with his twin brother Xand. Following his BBC One documentary ‘What Are We Feeding Our Kids?’ and the chart-topping podcast ‘A Thorough Examination – Addicted to Food’, Chris has become the UK’s go-to expert on ultra processed foods.
Chris’ 2023 book, Ultra-Processed People, became the no 1 Sunday Times bestseller with recommendations coming from the FT, Daily Mail, Guardian & New York Times among many others. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx
All Comments (21)
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Have just finished reading his book, I thought I ate a healthy diet, I had no idea a lot of what I consumed was ultra processed. It’s completely changed what I feed my children and family. The work he and others are doing to educate in a way that allows us to realise it’s not our fault is so important to not create a blame culture but just awareness to make informed decisions.
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A supermarket I used to go to had the store bakery right by the processed meat section (lunch meat, bacon, sausage, frozen chicken tenders, etc.) I thought of it as "death row." Most of the aisles in grocery stores are "death rows."
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Love how Chris is talking about this topic. Something I have heard him say which i can relate to is essentially: become disgusted by this food, then its easier to stop. I walk past things in the supermarket now with a disgust, thinking about how these few companies are screwing us all over. Power to you Chris - keep shouting.
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My brand new primary care doctor that I met with just this past Friday recommended that I read this book.
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dr chris van tulleken.. is an actual superhero... a real one! 🛡️
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A recent video I watched used the term "Pre-Digested Food" as in pre chewed and requires no real work for your body to digest it. The word "Slurry" has also caused me to think more about my food. I am a delivery driver on a gig app during my free time and have found that being exposed to other peoples bad eating habits strengthens my resolve and helps me to see I am doing better than most when it comes to being food conscious.
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Great talk, I really hope we start seeing tighter regulations on what is included in food and how it is marketed, especially here in the US. My dentist recently remarked that the only way to avoid certain issues with my teeth was to avoid processed sugar, but that that's basically impossible these days.
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So important and relevant! 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏 have been following Chris’ and Tim’s (Spector ) work for some time. So critical to improving our knowledge on health, UPF and research in understanding nutrition.
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I'm weaning myself because to just suddenly stop eating ultra processed/ unhealthy food after that being your normal is difficult to form a habit. I make small changes. Best off starting with everything you drink. I drink only things i believe have some health benefit to them. Water, lemon water, teas, coffee, milk, beetroot juice, hot choc using caocao powder, for alcohol i have red wine and guinness both have health benefits and they're only a rare treat anyway. All stuff i enjoy and there's health benefits to them all. Then make small changes with food. Trying to make more food from scratch, which i am doing slowly. What i would like to get into is meal prepping that way i could get rid of a lot of the processed rubbish.
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Fantastic talk, he ends with an alternative definition of UPF "industrially produced edible food substances"😮
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Loved talking alongside you Chris and therefore getting to watch you live. You set the bar for something people haven't thought enough about. Keep up the great work!
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Chris on the money - as always. Keep up the great work!
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You nailed it here. I share your book all the time with my clients.
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Best intro yet Chris! Keep up the good fight.
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Not long ago, I had a medical treatment that affected my tastebuds for a few weeks. The more highly processed a food item was, the worse the taste, for me. But I could eat fresh fruits and veggies no problem. It's no surprise to me, there are so many chemicals that are in processed foods. We hardly know yet how they impact our health.
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Lucky Charms are magically delicious? More like TRAGICALLY delicious, amirite?
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More people should see this. Upvoted and commented. :)
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wonderful video. Great thinker
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It was a nice TED session.
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excellent presentation! I've got the book. Great read!
