Nine easy swaps to reduce ultra-processed foods in your diet: it's not an all-or-nothing approach'

"Including, he says, It's really difficult to avoid them. Australia, alongside the US and UK, has one of the world's highest consumption rates of ultra-processed foods which have been linked to multiple diet-related chronic diseases, according to a global report of which Lawrence was a co-author. Dr Mathilde Touvier, another co-author, says UPFs have a strong and consistent association with cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, depression and obesity."

"They typically include flavours, emulsifiers, colours, sweetness, thickeners, says Barrett. Ingredients used for preservation purposes only, such as citric acid, don't typically make something ultra-processed. Touvier recommends apps such as Open Food Facts to help identify foods classed as UPF in the Nova classification system, which popularised the term. The definition is foods that are made using industrial processes and industrial ingredients that you wouldn't normally find in a typical kitchen, says dietitian and Associate Prof Evangeline Mantzioris from Adelaide University."

Ultra-processed foods are highly prevalent in Australia, the US and the UK and contribute to some of the world's highest consumption rates. UPF intake is linked to cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, depression and obesity, creating urgency to reduce consumption. Around 60% of packaged supermarket foods in Australia are classified as UPF, making avoidance challenging. UPFs commonly contain added flavours, emulsifiers, colours, sweeteners and thickeners; preservation-only additives like citric acid typically do not make a product ultra-processed. Tools such as Open Food Facts and the NOVA classification can help identify UPFs, and targeted swaps plus whole-diet guidance can reduce intake.

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