A question of life and death: Why does the state not tax harmful foods?

A study by the Osvaldo Cruz Foundation from Rio de Janeiro found that in countries such as the United States and Great Britain, as many as one in seven death could attribute feed with a lot of industrial food.

Researchers compared data from eight countries, particularly on nutrition and mortality, reports Deutsche Welle (DW).

They found, they say, a clear connection - the more calories consumed through industrial food, the greater the risk of premature death.

Eduardo Nilsson, a nutritionist-epidemiologist from this foundation, told DW that previous research was too narrow because they looked at certain foods. "We need to look at the matrix of the whole diet," he states.

What is "ultra-processed food"

In Brazil, work is already being done to promote a healthier diet. The University of São Paulo divided the food into four groups.

The first is (almost) unprocessed food, say fresh fruit, vegetables, fresh meat, eggs. Other additives such as some oils, salt, and sugar are processed. The third group includes canned fruits and vegetables, cured meats, bread, cheese.

In the fourth group, the so-called "ultra-processed food", is everything that is made industrially with derivatives of fats, fats and proteins, with the addition of artificial colors, flavor enhancers and preservatives.

That "infamous" group automatically includes chocolates, carbonated and energy drinks, ready-made foods, sweetened yogurts, and some cereal flakes.

Over-processed food is often called "junk food" in slang, and everyone knows that you shouldn't overdo it. But many do not respect it.

These foods are linked to 32 diseases or health effects, from obesity to diabetes and heart disease, to tumors and cognitive decline.

It's better in the Mediterranean.

Of the eight countries compared by Brazilian scientists, precisely those in Latin America have the lowest share of over-processed food in the population's diet. Consequently, there are fewer premature deaths, according to scientists.

At the opposite pole are the Anglo-Saxon countries - Australia, Canada, Britain and the USA.

"It's no surprise that countries with a more developed food culture are more resistant to ultra-processed foods and have maintained healthier habits," Nilsson tells us.

"We are talking here about Japan, Italy, France, mainly Mediterranean countries," he adds. It is similar, he says, in Brazil, whose cuisine is based on rice, beans, salad, fruit and some sources of protein.

Sugar tax?

Then again, it's not easy - and often not cheap - to always eat healthy. Nielson and his group of researchers are therefore advocating that things be reversed, that is, for states to support healthier diets.

That, for example, sugary foods and drinks are taxed more heavily. "In Brazil, as part of the nutrition reform, we introduced a zero tax rate on fresh or minimally processed food," he says.

Farmers are encouraged to grow a variety of crops. Organic production is included in the delivery of meals for school canteens.

"All countries should do the same because the evidence is very convincing," says the Brazilian scientist.

First steps in the USA

The American National Institute of Health is also dealing with the impact of too much processed food.

Faced with a possible policy change and criticism, some manufacturers are phasing out synthetic dyes and other additives themselves.

The US Food and Drug Administration last week urged manufacturers to "replace petrochemical dyes with natural ingredients for the benefit of American children, just as is already being done in Europe and Canada."

This is in line with the policy announced by US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

There is also a rebellion. For example, General Mills tried to switch to natural colors in its breakfast cereal, but went back to artificial colors - due to customer protests.

On Monday (April 28), two nutritional food giants, PepsiCo and Kellogg, announced that they would remove some synthetic additives from their products.