Study Finds Older Adults are Addicted to Highly Processed Foods

Available for Interviews: John Rodriguez, MD

Dr. John Rodriguez is a Chief Medical Officer of Healthcare2U and is passionate about the care provided to their patients. He manages all the care providers in Healthcare2U’s network of clinics and oversees care protocols and training.

What Dr. Rodriguez can say in an interview about
Highly Processed Food Addiction in Older Adults:

A new study found that older adults are becoming more addicted to highly processed foods. This study concluded that 13 percent of adults aged 50-80 met the criteria for an addiction to highly processed foods.1

Women were more than twice as likely as men to meet the criteria for addiction to highly processed food (18 percent vs. 8 percent).

Preserving, baking, and cooking count as processed. However, it’s the heavily or ultra-processed foods that you must watch out for.2 These foods have unhealthy ingredients added to make them last longer or taste better. One study found that ultra-processed foods make up 60 percent of the calories in the American diet.

The worst ultra-processed foods
that you should avoid3

      • Frozen dinners
      • Instant ramen
      • Margarine
      • Fruit snacks
      • Dried fruit
      • Microwave popcorn
      • Flavored nuts
      • Granola bars
      • Bacon
      • Ketchup
      • Potato chips
      • Fruit juice

Poor mental health is to blame for the addiction. Older adults who rated their mental health as fair or poor were at least three times more likely to meet food addiction criteria compared with those reporting excellent or good mental health.1

This addiction to ultra-processed foods has landed the US in tenth place (tied with Lithuania) among the unhealthiest countries in the world.4 There may be hope, though—the fact that the addiction is in the age range of 50-80 may mean the younger generations are learning from this, and we have a healthier population future ahead of us.

Visit www.healthc2u.com for more information. Healthcare2U is the nation’s fastest-growing hybrid Direct Primary Care organization.

 

Interview: John Rodriguez, MD

Dr. John Rodriguez is a Chief Medical Officer of Healthcare2U and is passionate about the care provided to their patients. He manages all the care providers in Healthcare2U’s network of clinics and oversees care protocols and training.

Dr. Rogriguez co-founded Healthcare2U to ensure that organizations of all sizes and structures have unlimited, nationwide access to affordable and consistent primary and urgent care. He has over 20 years of experience working in private practice as an attending physician with one of the most prestigious healthcare systems in the country, Baylor Health Care Systems. Dr. Rodriguez and his company have been featured on Fox News Channel’s Fox & Friends and in publications like BenefitsPro, America’s Benefit Specialist, and Broker World.

Contact:
Jo Allison
Managing Editor
Director of Public Relations
MEDIA AMBASSADORS
Success In Media, Inc.
Jo@SuccessInMedia.com

 

Sources

    1.   Addiction to Highly Processed Food Among Older Adults | National Poll on Healthy Aging (healthyagingpoll.org)
    2.   Many Older Adults Are Addicted to Highly Processed Foods: Study (webmd.com)
    3.   12 Processed Foods You Should Avoid – (blackdoctor.org)

4.    10 Most Unhealthy Countries around the World as of 2023 (sportskeeda.com)

 

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