Grant: Planning and Dissemination Grant - Institute Community Support

Ultra-processed foods (UPF), such as packaged snacks, sugary drinks, and ready meals, account for nearly half of Canadians' daily calories, as classified by the NOVA system. Research consistently links high UPF intakes to health issues, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and certain cancers. UPF-heavy diets have been shown to increase calorie intake and body weight, while unprocessed diets led to weight loss. In Canada, UPFs make up 24-73% of daily energy intake, with higher consumption tied to a 31% increased risk of obesity, 37% for diabetes, and 60% for hypertension. UPF are often less nutritious, packed with additives and industrial ingredients, and designed to be super tasty, making it easy to eat too much. Processing and packaging might add harmful substances, but we need more research to be sure. In 2021, experts from government, industry, and health fields met to talk about UPF health risks as part of a Canadian Nutrition Society workshop, whether we should limit them, and what could go wrong if we do. Since UPF are everywhere and nutrition misinformation is common, it's hard for people to find trustworthy advice. This project aims to better understand how UPFs affect things like inflammation and gut health, tackle issues like marketing and easy access, and provide clear, science-based tips for healthier eating.The main goal is to host three webinars to teach about UPF and how they affect health problems like chronic diseases at all ages. These webinars will look at how UPF impact metabolism, gut health, inflammation, and overall well-being, and explore factors like marketing that drive their use, aiming to help people eat less of them. The second goal is to create three learning modules from these webinars for healthcare professionals to improve their ability to give clear, science-based advice about UPF. This will help them guide patients to make better food choices, improving public health.