The Junk Food Doctor: "This Food Is Worse Than Smoking!" & "This Diet Prevents 60% Of Disease!" - Chris Van Tulleken (Ultra-Processed People Author)
Oct 23, 2023
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In a thought-provoking discussion, Dr. Chris Van Tulleken, an infectious diseases doctor and BBC science presenter, tackles the alarming rise of ultra-processed foods. He reveals that 80% of diets consist of substances masquerading as food, often posing health risks greater than smoking. The conversation covers how junk food creates a public health emergency, the addictive tactics of food companies, and the misleading claims of 'health' foods. With obesity projected to impact half the global population soon, Dr. Van Tulleken advocates for systemic changes in food access and awareness.
Ultra-processed food is a major contributor to obesity and diet-related diseases.
The food industry's focus on profit drives the dominance of ultra-processed foods in our food system.
Addressing poverty and promoting social justice are crucial for improving access to healthy food and reducing diet-related diseases.
Personal responsibility alone is not sufficient - structural changes in the food system are needed to improve public health.
Deep dives
The Impact of Ultra-Processed Food on Health
Ultra-processed food has a detrimental effect on our health, leading to a rise in obesity and diet-related diseases. These foods, engineered to be addictive and convenient, dominate our food system and are associated with a range of health problems, including early death.
The Influence of Food Industry and Financialization
The food industry, driven by financial incentives, has created a global food system where a small number of companies control 75% of global calories consumed. This concentration of power and profit prioritizes ultra-processed foods over nutritious options, contributing to the obesity epidemic and environmental issues like loss of biodiversity and plastic pollution.
The Role of Poverty and Social Justice
Poor diet and lack of access to healthy food are strongly linked to poverty. People with low incomes are often forced to rely on ultra-processed foods due to financial constraints and limited food options. Promoting social justice by addressing poverty would greatly impact the rates of diet-related diseases.
The Need for Structural Change and Individual Solutions
Relying solely on personal responsibility and individual choices is not sufficient to address the issue of ultra-processed foods. Structural changes in the food system, such as ensuring affordable access to healthy food for all, providing education and support, and reducing the influence of the food industry, are essential for improving public health.
The impact of exercise on calories burnt
The podcast discusses the misconception that exercise alone can have a significant impact on burning calories. Even if we accept that it increases the number of calories burned, the actual amount is relatively small. Going to the gym for half an hour, four times a week, only amounts to a small portion of our weekly calorie intake. This challenges the notion that exercise alone can lead to substantial weight loss or calorie reduction.
The psychology of exercise and eating
The podcast explores the psychological aspect of exercise and its impact on eating behaviors. Some individuals may feel motivated to reward themselves with indulgent foods after a challenging workout session, while others may avoid 'bad' foods but consume additional 'healthy' snacks. This highlights the complex relationship between exercise, food choices, and psychological factors such as willpower and self-control.
The role of poverty and food marketing
The podcast delves into the connection between poverty, food choices, and the marketing strategies employed by the ultra-processed food industry. Research suggests that individuals from low-income households are more likely to inherit genes for obesity, and these genes are expressed due to factors such as deprivation and poor access to nutritious options. Additionally, the podcast sheds light on the pervasive and manipulative nature of food marketing, particularly targeting vulnerable populations such as children, which contributes to the high consumption of ultra-processed foods.
What if what you were eating wasn’t really food but an industrially produced edible substance, and your diet was worse for you than smoking?
In this new episode Steven sits down with doctor and New York Times bestselling author, Chris van Tulleken.
Dr. Chris van Tulleken is an infectious diseases doctor and one of the BBC’s leading science presenters, appearing on shows such as, ‘The Doctor Who Gave Up Drugs’, ‘Trust Me, I’m A Doctor’ and ‘Operation Ouch!’. He is the author of the Sunday Times bestselling book, ‘Ultra-Processed People’.
In this conversation Dr. Chris and Steven discuss topics, such as:
What is ‘Ultra-Processed Food’
Why 80% of the average diet is not real food
The ways that ultra-processed food can impact your health
How there is a pandemic of junk food
Dr Chris’s experiment of living of ultra-processed food
The ways that junk food is causing a public health emergency
The ways that your diet can be deadlier than smoking
The lies we’ve been told about 'health' food
Why ‘health’ food isn’t actually healthy
The ways that food guidelines are actually nonsense
How half the world’s population is predicted to become obese in 12 years time
Why exercise can't burn off fat fast enough
How we are tackling obesity in the wrong way
The impact of a Ultra-Processed diet on intelligence
How you can inherit obesity
The ways that food companies have made their food addictive
How food companies are like the mafia
Ways that food companies target us with ultra-processed food
How ultra-processed food can be more addictive that nicotine
How the average diet is making people not just fatter but shorter
Why we need to start a food revolution
You can purchase Chris’ most recent book, ‘Ultra-Processed People: Why Do We All Eat Stuff That Isn’t Food … and Why Can’t We Stop?’, here: https://amzn.to/3sikpaZ
