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Nikki Hart: Nutritionist on the three-decade surge in ultra-processed food consumption in New Zealand
Description
A three-decade surge in how much unhealthy food we eat.
New research from Auckland University, published in the Globalisation and Health journal, shows New Zealand's imports of ultra-processed food increased from 16 kilograms in 1990, to 104 in 2023.
Past studies show about 70% of packaged food in our supermarkets is ultra-processed.
Nutritionist Nikki Hart told Ryan Bridge it's often disguised.
She says it's canned food, crackers, and biscuits that are presented with a health claim.
Kids are also feeding into unhealthy food branding, Hart saying products are designed to catch their attention.
She says there's a lot of money and time going into it, as our rates of child obesity rise.
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