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The UK is facing
rising levels of ill health.
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The chronic disease escalation
is primarily related to food intake,
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The chronic disease escalation
is primarily related to food intake,
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there's no question about it.
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There's growing concern
about some of the food we eat.
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We're consuming too much
ultra-processed food.
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People consuming more
ultra-processed food
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have higher risk
of disease and death.
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Panorama investigates
the possible links
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between artificial sweeteners
and serious illness.
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The higher the dose that was given,
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the higher the numbers of tumours
that we observed.
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Exclusive new evidence
linking food additives to cancer.
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We observed significant associations
between emulsifier intake
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and increased risk
of cancer overall.
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And we ask, "Are regulators doing
enough to keep our food safe?"
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And we ask, "Are regulators doing
enough to keep our food safe?"
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This really is a future time bomb.
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It's a complete disaster
and we're sleepwalking into it.
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This is Aimee,
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and this is Nancy.
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They're 24 and identical twins.
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That's 30, or 1.60.5.
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Lovely. Step forward.
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So, Aimee and Nancy,
what we want to do is to look at
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how food processing
impacts your health.
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They're taking part in a test
to explore the impact
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of ultra-processed food
on their health.
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What we're going to be doing today
is a lot of different tests
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to look at your
baseline health measures.
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And then what you're going to do
is for two weeks,
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Nancy, you're going to be doing
the unprocessed diet
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and Aimee, you're going to be eating
the ultra-processed diet.
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Then we're going to get
you back here
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and then we're going to do
the same tests again
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and look at how these different
foods have impacted your health.
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Ultra-processed foods
are hugely popular,
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from ready meals to some bread,
crisps and snacks.
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Across Europe, ultra-processed food
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makes up about a quarter
of the diet,
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but here in the UK,
the figures are much higher.
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Ultra-processed food accounts for
more than 50% of our energy intake
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in the UK across adults,
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and it's an even bigger problem
in children.
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So it accounts for about 65%
of our energy intake for children.
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This is actually increasing
at an alarming rate.
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Ultra-processed food
is relatively cheap, convenient
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and can have a longer shelf life.
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It's mass produced
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and its nutritional content
is often altered.
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We believe ultra-processed food's
having an unfavourable effect
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on our health because the act
of processing foods
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breaks down the structure
of the foods.
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Often ultra-processed foods
have very little fibre in them,
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or the fibre is removed.
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And ultra-processed food often
contains chemical additives.
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Many of these ingredients
most people won't have heard of.
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But what we don't know is how
all of these different chemicals
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might interact together
in terms of our health.
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Because Aimee and Nancy
are identical twins,
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it's easier to compare how their
bodies react to the food they eat.
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Their diets will contain exactly
the same amount of calories,
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nutrients, fat, sugar and fibre.
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But only Aimee will be eating
the ultra-processed food,
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containing chemical additives.
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I do eat some processed foods
just out of convenience
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but I do love lots of fresh foods
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and have quite a healthy diet,
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I think, so I think it is going
to be a bit of a shift.
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There are many reasons for
chronic ill health, like smoking,
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drinking too much
and lack of exercise.
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We already know too much salt,
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fat and sugar in our diet
can be bad for us.
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Now, there's an increasing focus
on ultra-processed food.
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My name is Tim Spector.
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I'm a Professor of Epidemiology
at King's College, London.
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I'm a Professor of Epidemiology
at King's College, London.
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In the last decade, the evidence
has been slowly growing
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that ultra-processed food is harmful
for us in ways we hadn't thought.
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that ultra-processed food is harmful
for us in ways we hadn't thought.
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We're talking about
all varieties of cancers.
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We're talking about heart disease,
strokes, dementia.
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Many of these products
may have 20 chemicals,
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and there can be emulsifiers,
preservatives, artificial sweeteners
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and there can be emulsifiers,
preservatives, artificial sweeteners
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which have negative effects
on our body.
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One of the most controversial
chemical additives often used
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in ultra-processed food
is the sweetener aspartame.
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200 times sweeter than sugar,
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it's used in thousands of products,
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often marketed as low-calorie.
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There have been questions
about its safety
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over the last two decades.
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In 2006, scientists in Italy
began studying aspartame.
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In 2006, scientists in Italy
began studying aspartame.
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I'm Daniele Mandrioli,
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I'm the director of the Cesare
Maltoni Cancer Research Centre
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of the Ramazzini Institute.
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We gave mice and rats aspartame
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with a human-equivalent exposure.
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It was the largest study
ever performed on aspartame.
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Our findings was that aspartame
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was capable of inducing a number
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of cancer in different organs.
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Although the experiment
was on rodents,
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the Ramazzini scientists
were concerned
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aspartame might also
be harmful to humans.
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The higher the dose that was given,
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the higher the numbers of tumours
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that we observed.
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These are all cancer cells
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that are invading the liver.
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Nervous system tumours,
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mammary cancer,
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kidney, leukaemia.
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Since then, aspartame
has been studied many times.
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Some scientists raised similar
concerns, while others questioned
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the quality of the Ramazzini studies
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and said there was nothing
to worry about.
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In 2013, the European
Food Safety Authority agreed,
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saying aspartame was safe.
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My name is Erik Millstone and I am
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an Emeritus Professor of Science
Policy at the University of Sussex.
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an Emeritus Professor of Science
Policy at the University of Sussex.
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Professor Millstone reviewed
all the research
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the regulator had considered.
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I produced and published
a very detailed analysis
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of each of the studies.
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He came to the conclusion
that there was a link
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between how research was funded
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and its findings.
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Of the studies
that seemed to show harm,
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I think every single one of them
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{\an8}was funded by a noncommercial
independent source.
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Three quarters of those
independent studies
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found an association
between aspartame and harm.
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found an association
between aspartame and harm.
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But Professor Millstone
found research funded by makers
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of aspartame came
to a very different conclusion.
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About 90% of the reassuring studies
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were funded by
large chemical corporations
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that manufacture and sell aspartame.
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So there's a pattern there
that suggests the industry designs
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and conducts studies
that provide reassuring evidence.
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I saw that as an expression
of a very profound
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and very dangerous bias.
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Although ruled safe
by many regulators,
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there is a growing body of evidence
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of potential links
between the sweetener
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and serious illness.
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I am Dr Mathilde Touvier.
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I am the head of the Nutritional
Epidemiology Research Team
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in the University Sorbonne
Paris Nord.
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Dr Touvier is leading one
of the world's biggest studies
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into food additives.
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It's called NutriNet-Sante,
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and for 14 years, Dr Touvier
and her team have been publishing
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regular reports based on the health
and eating habits of 174,000 people.
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regular reports based on the health
and eating habits of 174,000 people.
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{\an8}We have 24-hour dietary records,
during which they tell us
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{\an8}all the food, the beverages
and so on that they are eating.
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She's been looking at the possible
impact of aspartame on human health.
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She's been looking at the possible
impact of aspartame on human health.
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Regarding artificial sweeteners
and aspartame,
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we did two major studies so far.
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We first showed an association
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between artificial sweeteners intake
and notably aspartame
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and increased risk of cancer.
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Dr Touvier's findings don't prove
aspartame causes cancer,
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but they do suggest
the more aspartame you consume,
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the more likely you are to develop
cancer, as well as other diseases.
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the more likely you are to develop
cancer, as well as other diseases.
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We observed associations
between artificial sweeteners
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as a whole, and notably aspartame
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with cardiovascular diseases
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and, more specifically,
cerebrovascular diseases,
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which are mainly a stroke.
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The World Health Organization
has recently advised
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that although there isn't conclusive
evidence, it's concerned
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long-term use of sweeteners
like aspartame may increase the risk
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long-term use of sweeteners
like aspartame may increase the risk
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of Type 2 diabetes, heart diseases
and mortality.
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of Type 2 diabetes, heart diseases
and mortality.
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A working group
from the organisation's
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International Agency
for Research on Cancer
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is meeting to examine aspartame's
possible links to cancer
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later this month.
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The US-based Calorie Control
Council, which represents
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the global sweetener industry, says
the French study should be reviewed
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with extreme caution,
as it's based on self-reported data,
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which may be unreliable.
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It also says it strongly disagrees
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with the World Health Organization's
conclusion
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on aspartame's
potential health impacts.
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Aimee and Nancy are a week
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into their ultra-processed
food test.
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{\an8}For breakfast this morning, I had a
quinoa porridge with berries on top,
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{\an8}and it's done a really good job
of keeping me energised and full.
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{\an8}So it's the end of the day now,
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{\an8}and I've got a bit of a headache
to be honest.
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So, yeah, ending the day
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still hungry, feeling a bit
sort of rubbish
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and, yeah, a bit of a headache.
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Dr Berry is checking in
with the twins
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to discuss how they're getting on.
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Lots of the things that you've
just described about your headache
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all point to the fact
that you're probably having a dip
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in blood sugar that happens about
two to four hours
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after people consume
really heavily processed,
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refined carbohydrates.
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As well as being highly processed,
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Aimee's food also contains
chemical additives.
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This is a mousse, made with
fruit puree and only 73 calories.
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This is a mousse, made with
fruit puree and only 73 calories.
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Yeah, you'd think
that would be a healthy option.
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Oh, my goodness.
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Pork gelatine, glucose,
fructose syrup, acidity regulator,
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citric acid, sodium hydroxide,
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modified maize starch.
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There's a term we use
called the Health Halo,
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where you have packaging that says
high in fibre or low in sugar,
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where you have packaging that says
high in fibre or low in sugar,
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low in salt, plant-based.
All of these kind of magic words
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that make people think,
"Wow, these are really healthy."
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If anything ever says,
"low", "reduced" or "no",
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I'd always be a bit suspicious
because how else have they therefore
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made that food taste great?
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Even many everyday foods like
sliced bread can contain ingredients
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no home cook would recognise.
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Preservatives, palm oil,
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caramelised sugar,
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esters of mono
and diglycerides and fatty acids.
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Yeah, shocking. So many things
I've never heard of.
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And there's one ingredient the twins
keep seeing again and again.
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And there's one ingredient the twins
keep seeing again and again.
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Emulsifiers again.
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We've seen that a few times,
haven't we? Yeah.
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Emulsifiers are essentially a glue.
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They stick components together
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so that they have a good mouthfeel
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and they don't fall apart
in your mouth or on the plate.
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So here we have
carboxymethyl cellulose, CMC,
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which is one
of the commonest emulsifiers
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used in the food industry.
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And I'm just going to demonstrate
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what happens when
you just add water to it
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and it very rapidly becomes
248
00:14:02,560 --> 00:14:06,320
like a glue, a stodgy mass
249
00:14:06,360 --> 00:14:08,920
that sticks everything together.
250
00:14:10,640 --> 00:14:14,960
The food industry uses around
60 different emulsifiers,
251
00:14:15,000 --> 00:14:19,000
often to enhance the appearance,
texture and shelf life
252
00:14:19,040 --> 00:14:21,040
of ultra-processed foods.
253
00:14:22,400 --> 00:14:25,000
Some are naturally occurring,
254
00:14:25,040 --> 00:14:27,560
others are chemically produced.
255
00:14:27,600 --> 00:14:30,480
It's found in an incredible
number of our foods
256
00:14:30,520 --> 00:14:33,240
and they are potentially harmful.
257
00:14:35,120 --> 00:14:39,440
Dr Touvier's study has also
been looking at emulsifiers.
258
00:14:39,480 --> 00:14:44,440
Panorama has been given
exclusive access to her findings.
259
00:14:44,480 --> 00:14:44,720
Panorama has been given
exclusive access to her findings.
260
00:14:44,760 --> 00:14:47,080
They're yet to be verified
by peer review
261
00:14:47,120 --> 00:14:49,720
but she says they're concerning.
262
00:14:49,760 --> 00:14:54,040
We observed significant associations
between emulsifier intake
263
00:14:54,080 --> 00:14:54,120
We observed significant associations
between emulsifier intake
264
00:14:54,160 --> 00:14:56,920
and increased risk of cancer overall
265
00:14:56,960 --> 00:14:58,960
and breast cancer, notably,
266
00:14:59,000 --> 00:15:02,440
but also with
cardiovascular diseases.
267
00:15:03,640 --> 00:15:06,000
Ten years ago, a report funded
268
00:15:06,040 --> 00:15:08,240
by the European Commission said
269
00:15:08,280 --> 00:15:11,800
the consumption of chemical
emulsifiers by UK adults
270
00:15:11,840 --> 00:15:15,800
sometimes exceeded safe limits.
271
00:15:15,840 --> 00:15:19,720
Some children were consuming
even higher levels,
272
00:15:19,760 --> 00:15:23,200
yet no action was taken
by regulators.
273
00:15:23,240 --> 00:15:25,720
In population, especially, children
274
00:15:25,760 --> 00:15:28,440
are above the acceptable
daily intakes,
275
00:15:28,480 --> 00:15:32,440
it's really something
we should be concerned about.
276
00:15:32,480 --> 00:15:35,600
It's pretty horrific that
so many children are affected.
277
00:15:35,640 --> 00:15:40,120
It's even worse to realise that
no-one has done anything about it.
278
00:15:42,200 --> 00:15:46,720
At this party, the children
are largely eating unprocessed food
279
00:15:46,760 --> 00:15:49,240
but their parents are still worried.
280
00:15:50,440 --> 00:15:52,560
If there is evidence
that there's links to cancer,
281
00:15:52,600 --> 00:15:54,280
that's really scary.
282
00:15:54,320 --> 00:15:57,800
It begs the question, why is nobody
actually bothering to look at that?
283
00:15:57,840 --> 00:16:01,280
They're little children, they cannot
be exposed to those things.
284
00:16:01,320 --> 00:16:05,160
Upsetting and worrying,
that's how it makes me feel.
285
00:16:05,200 --> 00:16:06,840
I think it's outrageous,
to be honest,
286
00:16:06,880 --> 00:16:08,520
because you get them in for snacks,
287
00:16:08,560 --> 00:16:10,440
you get them in
to give to the children
288
00:16:10,480 --> 00:16:13,040
when they come in from school
and they're hungry.
289
00:16:13,080 --> 00:16:16,080
We should be protecting our next
generation, not exposing them
290
00:16:16,120 --> 00:16:18,560
to harmful chemicals in their food.
291
00:16:21,520 --> 00:16:24,600
In England, Wales
and Northern Ireland,
292
00:16:24,640 --> 00:16:29,640
food safety is regulated by
the Food Standards Agency, the FSA.
293
00:16:29,680 --> 00:16:30,520
food safety is regulated by
the Food Standards Agency, the FSA.
294
00:16:30,560 --> 00:16:33,520
It says it's about to launch
a public consultation
295
00:16:33,560 --> 00:16:36,240
on some emulsifiers.
296
00:16:39,640 --> 00:16:43,600
There's growing concern
the impact of ultra-processed food
297
00:16:43,640 --> 00:16:46,640
on younger people
is already being felt.
298
00:16:46,680 --> 00:16:49,960
Hello. Hello, Dr Sadhra.
299
00:16:50,000 --> 00:16:52,560
So how are you doing?
I'm good, thank you. Yeah.
300
00:16:52,600 --> 00:16:57,240
Hunida discovered she had Type 2
diabetes when she was just 31.
301
00:16:57,280 --> 00:16:58,240
Hunida discovered she had Type 2
diabetes when she was just 31.
302
00:16:58,280 --> 00:17:01,760
Not anyone as young as me
has had diabetes in my family
303
00:17:01,800 --> 00:17:04,600
so, when I was the first one
in the young generation,
304
00:17:04,640 --> 00:17:06,960
it was quite a shock, you know.
305
00:17:07,000 --> 00:17:10,880
I am aware medically
of the seriousness of diabetes
306
00:17:10,920 --> 00:17:14,080
and what it can do to you long term.
307
00:17:14,120 --> 00:17:18,520
She's one of 4.3 million people
in the UK diagnosed with diabetes.
308
00:17:18,560 --> 00:17:20,080
She's one of 4.3 million people
in the UK diagnosed with diabetes.
309
00:17:20,120 --> 00:17:23,640
Rates among the under-40s
are growing faster here
310
00:17:23,680 --> 00:17:26,000
than anywhere in the world.
311
00:17:26,040 --> 00:17:29,480
Diabetes levels
at Dr Sadhra's Slough practice
312
00:17:29,520 --> 00:17:31,720
are above the national average.
313
00:17:31,760 --> 00:17:35,440
His patients face
a range of risk factors.
314
00:17:35,480 --> 00:17:39,760
In this practice,
we've got 25% of adults
315
00:17:39,800 --> 00:17:39,960
In this practice,
we've got 25% of adults
316
00:17:40,000 --> 00:17:42,760
are either pre-diabetic or diabetic.
317
00:17:42,800 --> 00:17:44,640
{\an8}This is very worrying.
318
00:17:44,680 --> 00:17:46,520
{\an8}It is very concerning.
319
00:17:46,560 --> 00:17:49,920
In the last 12 months, I've had
320
00:17:49,960 --> 00:17:53,800
more than 100
new diabetics being diagnosed.
321
00:17:53,840 --> 00:17:58,520
We have 16-year-olds
and 17-year-olds
322
00:17:58,560 --> 00:18:00,360
who have been diagnosed.
323
00:18:00,400 --> 00:18:05,160
I'm finding patients who are
younger with certain cancers.
324
00:18:05,200 --> 00:18:08,440
That's how bad things are getting.
325
00:18:08,480 --> 00:18:13,440
Dr Sadhra is clear
on what he thinks the cause is.
326
00:18:13,480 --> 00:18:16,280
The chronic disease escalation
327
00:18:16,320 --> 00:18:21,000
is primarily related to food intake.
328
00:18:21,040 --> 00:18:22,720
There's no question about it.
329
00:18:26,440 --> 00:18:29,080
As well as the ingredients
in our food,
330
00:18:29,120 --> 00:18:30,840
many scientists are worried
331
00:18:30,880 --> 00:18:34,640
about chemicals in some
of the packaging it comes in,
332
00:18:34,680 --> 00:18:36,960
particularly bisphenol A,
333
00:18:37,000 --> 00:18:38,680
or BPA for short.
334
00:18:40,360 --> 00:18:43,280
It's used in some
ready meal plastic trays,
335
00:18:43,320 --> 00:18:45,720
bottles and takeaway containers.
336
00:18:47,040 --> 00:18:50,360
BPA gets into our food
because it leaches out
337
00:18:50,400 --> 00:18:52,640
from the plastic containers
338
00:18:52,680 --> 00:18:56,840
and is increased if you increase
the temperature of the plastic,
339
00:18:56,880 --> 00:18:59,360
as can happen on a hot day,
340
00:18:59,400 --> 00:19:02,400
or particularly if you put it
in a microwave.
341
00:19:02,440 --> 00:19:05,200
A review of more than 1,000 studies
342
00:19:05,240 --> 00:19:07,720
suggested high levels of BPA
343
00:19:07,760 --> 00:19:11,080
were linked to cancer
and infertility,
344
00:19:11,120 --> 00:19:15,160
with particular concerns
about the impact on pregnancies.
345
00:19:15,200 --> 00:19:17,960
It disrupts our hormonal pathways,
346
00:19:18,000 --> 00:19:21,920
has been associated with
increased rates of miscarriage,
347
00:19:21,960 --> 00:19:26,040
stillbirth
or malformations in the foetus.
348
00:19:26,080 --> 00:19:31,000
The European regulator was
so concerned that in April 2023
349
00:19:31,040 --> 00:19:33,200
it updated its guidance,
350
00:19:33,240 --> 00:19:35,480
dramatically reducing safe levels
351
00:19:35,520 --> 00:19:37,960
for human consumption.
352
00:19:39,360 --> 00:19:42,720
The UK's regulator,
the Food Standards Agency,
353
00:19:42,760 --> 00:19:45,080
gets advice on chemicals in food
354
00:19:45,120 --> 00:19:47,840
from the Committee on Toxicity.
355
00:19:47,880 --> 00:19:50,440
It took a different view.
356
00:19:50,480 --> 00:19:53,560
It's chaired
by Professor Alan Boobis,
357
00:19:53,600 --> 00:19:57,320
seen here speaking
at a scientific conference.
358
00:19:57,360 --> 00:20:01,560
I'm a member of a number
of science advisory boards.
359
00:20:01,600 --> 00:20:06,040
Alan Boobis is
an emeritus professor.
360
00:20:06,080 --> 00:20:08,680
Recently, Professor Boobis
361
00:20:08,720 --> 00:20:10,560
and some of his colleagues
362
00:20:10,600 --> 00:20:14,880
have been arguing that the
authorities ought not to be focusing
363
00:20:14,920 --> 00:20:16,360
have been arguing that the
authorities ought not to be focusing
364
00:20:16,400 --> 00:20:20,080
{\an8}on the potential risks
that chemicals might cause
365
00:20:20,120 --> 00:20:23,560
to reproductive systems.
366
00:20:23,600 --> 00:20:27,320
A series of reports,
co-authored by Professor Boobis,
367
00:20:27,360 --> 00:20:29,960
have downplayed the risks of BPA.
368
00:20:31,280 --> 00:20:34,840
The most recent paper
said that it was not plausible
369
00:20:34,880 --> 00:20:37,800
that the amount of BPA
we're currently exposed to
370
00:20:37,840 --> 00:20:40,160
could cause us harm.
371
00:20:40,200 --> 00:20:44,640
The paper also said the professor
had no personal relationships
372
00:20:44,680 --> 00:20:48,880
that might influence
his conclusions.
373
00:20:48,920 --> 00:20:48,960
that might influence
his conclusions.
374
00:20:49,000 --> 00:20:52,320
But he didn't declare
in that paper his relationship
375
00:20:52,360 --> 00:20:54,080
with an organisation called
376
00:20:54,120 --> 00:20:58,440
the International Life Sciences
Institute, known as ILSI.
377
00:20:58,480 --> 00:20:58,520
the International Life Sciences
Institute, known as ILSI.
378
00:21:05,480 --> 00:21:07,080
I'm Dr Sarah Steele.
379
00:21:07,120 --> 00:21:10,000
I'm a senior research associate
at the University of Cambridge
380
00:21:10,040 --> 00:21:12,640
in Global Public Health.
381
00:21:12,680 --> 00:21:16,000
The International Life Sciences
Institute, which most people call
382
00:21:16,040 --> 00:21:18,680
ILSI, was set up in 1978.
383
00:21:18,720 --> 00:21:21,640
They have multiple branches
around the world.
384
00:21:21,680 --> 00:21:23,720
They're a truly global body.
385
00:21:23,760 --> 00:21:25,440
VIDEO:By working with experts...
386
00:21:25,480 --> 00:21:28,440
ILSI's glossy videos
spell out its mission.
387
00:21:28,480 --> 00:21:32,080
{\an8}VIDEO:ILSI is a nonprofit,
charitable organisation that works
388
00:21:32,120 --> 00:21:34,240
{\an8}for the health of the public.
389
00:21:34,280 --> 00:21:38,680
Hundreds of scientists work
with the institute worldwide.
390
00:21:38,720 --> 00:21:41,280
It says it encourages collaborations
391
00:21:41,320 --> 00:21:44,160
between academics and industry.
392
00:21:44,200 --> 00:21:49,040
They kind of say that they produce
science for the public good.
393
00:21:49,080 --> 00:21:50,840
VIDEO:It's who we are and...
394
00:21:50,880 --> 00:21:52,920
But ILSI gets much of its funding
395
00:21:52,960 --> 00:21:57,560
from some of the world's largest
food and chemical companies.
396
00:21:57,600 --> 00:22:01,120
There's been a large number
of multinational corporations
397
00:22:01,160 --> 00:22:03,040
who funded ILSI.
398
00:22:03,080 --> 00:22:06,080
Big food, environment, chemical,
399
00:22:06,120 --> 00:22:09,080
those kinds
of multinational corporations.
400
00:22:10,800 --> 00:22:15,440
In 2012, the European Food Safety
Authority was so worried
401
00:22:15,480 --> 00:22:19,480
about potential conflicts
of interest, it insisted anyone
402
00:22:19,520 --> 00:22:22,880
associated with ILSI
either had to resign from it
403
00:22:22,920 --> 00:22:25,400
or leave the regulator.
404
00:22:25,440 --> 00:22:28,280
Three years later,
the World Health Organization
405
00:22:28,320 --> 00:22:30,960
also distanced itself from ILSI.
406
00:22:32,600 --> 00:22:36,200
They're promoting
industry-favourable positions,
407
00:22:36,240 --> 00:22:39,680
but not calling themselves
the industry players.
408
00:22:39,720 --> 00:22:43,840
And that for me
is really concerning.
409
00:22:43,880 --> 00:22:47,120
But here in the UK,
the Food Standards Agency
410
00:22:47,160 --> 00:22:50,560
allows Professor Boobis,
an unpaid board member
411
00:22:50,600 --> 00:22:54,080
and former vice president
of ILSI Europe, to chair
412
00:22:54,120 --> 00:22:58,440
the key advisory
Committee on Toxicity.
413
00:22:58,480 --> 00:23:02,520
I think it's entirely inappropriate
that the chairman
414
00:23:02,560 --> 00:23:06,760
of the Committee on Toxicity
is so closely linked
415
00:23:06,800 --> 00:23:09,760
to an organisation
promoting the interests
416
00:23:09,800 --> 00:23:12,600
of the chemical and food industries.
417
00:23:14,320 --> 00:23:18,200
More than half the members
of the Committee on Toxicity
418
00:23:18,240 --> 00:23:22,480
have recent links to the food
or chemicals industries.
419
00:23:22,520 --> 00:23:26,880
And, last year, it disagreed with
the European regulators' proposals
420
00:23:26,920 --> 00:23:29,840
to cut the safe level of BPA,
421
00:23:29,880 --> 00:23:33,400
criticising the regulator's approach
to the evidence.
422
00:23:33,440 --> 00:23:36,200
That means the safe level in the UK
423
00:23:36,240 --> 00:23:39,960
is now 20,000 times higher
than in Europe.
424
00:23:41,160 --> 00:23:44,880
They have dismissed the arguments
in favour of precaution
425
00:23:44,920 --> 00:23:48,680
and are not endorsing a proposal
426
00:23:48,720 --> 00:23:52,320
for cutting the permitted levels
of BPA
427
00:23:52,360 --> 00:23:54,160
in food-packaging materials.
428
00:23:54,200 --> 00:23:57,960
And that represents a danger
to consumers in this country.
429
00:23:59,960 --> 00:24:04,360
Currently, the Food Standards Agency
says BPA poses no risk to health,
430
00:24:04,400 --> 00:24:06,240
Currently, the Food Standards Agency
says BPA poses no risk to health,
431
00:24:06,280 --> 00:24:09,320
but it says evaluation is ongoing.
432
00:24:11,760 --> 00:24:15,480
Over the past ten years,
the Committee on Toxicity
433
00:24:15,520 --> 00:24:18,360
hasn't supported
a single restriction
434
00:24:18,400 --> 00:24:20,600
on the use of any chemical additive
435
00:24:20,640 --> 00:24:22,320
in our food.
436
00:24:23,720 --> 00:24:26,360
UK's Committee on Toxicity
437
00:24:26,400 --> 00:24:28,080
is supposed to help
438
00:24:28,120 --> 00:24:30,320
protect public health.
439
00:24:30,360 --> 00:24:32,320
The judgments that it makes
440
00:24:32,360 --> 00:24:36,080
rarely serve to protect
public health
441
00:24:36,120 --> 00:24:38,200
and more typically protect
442
00:24:38,240 --> 00:24:40,240
the commercial interests
443
00:24:40,280 --> 00:24:43,160
of chemical and food companies.
444
00:24:47,320 --> 00:24:49,480
Professor Boobis says his advice
445
00:24:49,520 --> 00:24:51,880
isn't slanted to favour industry.
446
00:24:51,920 --> 00:24:54,400
And he's always been...
447
00:25:01,560 --> 00:25:04,480
He says, he's always been open
and transparent
448
00:25:04,520 --> 00:25:07,160
about organisations he works with.
449
00:25:07,200 --> 00:25:10,680
Recuses himself when there's
a potential conflict of interest
450
00:25:10,720 --> 00:25:12,320
and that his research is...
451
00:25:16,920 --> 00:25:19,440
The Food Standards Agency
says it has...
452
00:25:23,240 --> 00:25:25,560
And it has no evidence
bias has affected
453
00:25:25,600 --> 00:25:30,440
the Committee on Toxicity's opinions
or decisions made by the FSA.
454
00:25:30,480 --> 00:25:30,640
the Committee on Toxicity's opinions
or decisions made by the FSA.
455
00:25:32,360 --> 00:25:36,200
It says it's vital it gets
expert advice from people
456
00:25:36,240 --> 00:25:38,480
across the food system.
457
00:25:39,760 --> 00:25:41,600
ILSI says it...
458
00:25:44,200 --> 00:25:46,840
And evaluates any conflicts
of interest...
459
00:25:52,240 --> 00:25:54,360
..for research.
460
00:26:02,160 --> 00:26:06,560
Twins Aimee and Nancy have finished
their two-week food test.
461
00:26:06,640 --> 00:26:10,640
They've eaten diets, matched
for calories, nutrients, sugar,
462
00:26:10,680 --> 00:26:13,040
salt, fat and fibre.
463
00:26:13,080 --> 00:26:16,920
The only difference has been the way
Aimee's food has been made.
464
00:26:20,240 --> 00:26:22,600
Are you interested
to find out how you got on?
465
00:26:22,640 --> 00:26:25,600
Yeah. We don't know anything,
so we're excited to find out.
466
00:26:25,640 --> 00:26:29,840
Aimee, you were on
the ultra-processed food diet
467
00:26:29,880 --> 00:26:34,160
that was exactly equivalent
to the same diet that Nancy was on,
468
00:26:34,200 --> 00:26:34,440
that was exactly equivalent
to the same diet that Nancy was on,
469
00:26:34,480 --> 00:26:37,760
which was the wholefood
unprocessed diet.
470
00:26:37,800 --> 00:26:41,600
But your results were really
quite different to your sister's.
471
00:26:41,640 --> 00:26:44,480
They were far worse.
472
00:26:44,520 --> 00:26:47,440
Your blood fat levels
actually went up.
473
00:26:47,480 --> 00:26:50,600
Your lipids, which are markers
of heart disease,
474
00:26:50,640 --> 00:26:52,240
they were increased.
475
00:26:52,280 --> 00:26:55,160
Your blood sugar
was noticeably worse.
476
00:26:55,200 --> 00:26:57,760
You actually gained weight,
nearly a kilogram,
477
00:26:57,800 --> 00:26:59,200
and you actually lost weight.
478
00:26:59,240 --> 00:27:00,840
It's a bit scary, isn't it?
479
00:27:00,880 --> 00:27:03,120
After only two weeks,
to see those sorts of results.
480
00:27:03,160 --> 00:27:07,360
So just imagine what that
would be over 20 years.
481
00:27:08,800 --> 00:27:12,000
After two weeks
on the ultra-processed diet,
482
00:27:12,040 --> 00:27:16,360
any impact on Aimee's health
will be fully reversible.
483
00:27:16,400 --> 00:27:19,560
But the results are in line
with a growing body of evidence
484
00:27:19,600 --> 00:27:22,640
linking chemical additives
and ultra-processing
485
00:27:22,680 --> 00:27:26,400
to serious health consequences.
486
00:27:26,440 --> 00:27:29,640
You're much more likely
to develop Type 2 diabetes.
487
00:27:29,680 --> 00:27:32,120
The changes we saw
in your blood fats -
488
00:27:32,160 --> 00:27:33,880
these blood lipid levels -
489
00:27:33,920 --> 00:27:36,560
are associated with increased risk
490
00:27:36,600 --> 00:27:39,680
of heart disease
and strokes later in life.
491
00:27:39,720 --> 00:27:42,280
So really it's all bad news
492
00:27:42,320 --> 00:27:45,160
to be moving in that direction.
493
00:27:45,200 --> 00:27:47,800
The Government has ordered
a review of the evidence
494
00:27:47,840 --> 00:27:50,200
on ultra-processed foods.
495
00:27:50,240 --> 00:27:52,320
It will report in the summer.
496
00:27:53,800 --> 00:27:57,400
We already have the most
obese children in Europe.
497
00:27:57,440 --> 00:27:59,720
That means more Type 2 diabetes,
498
00:27:59,760 --> 00:28:01,720
more cancers, more heart disease,
499
00:28:01,760 --> 00:28:04,840
more misery, more mental illness.
500
00:28:04,880 --> 00:28:08,280
This really is a future time bomb.
501
00:28:08,320 --> 00:28:10,080
It's a complete disaster.
502
00:28:10,120 --> 00:28:11,840
And we're sleepwalking into it.
503
00:28:11,880 --> 00:28:15,000
And it's extremely frightening.
504
00:28:15,040 --> 00:28:19,160
There are now dozens of scientific
studies warning of the dangers
505
00:28:19,200 --> 00:28:22,960
of diets high in
ultra-processed food.
506
00:28:23,000 --> 00:28:26,960
In a decade that's seen
a rapid rise in chronic illnesses,
507
00:28:27,000 --> 00:28:30,560
is it time to take stronger action?