Ultra-Processed Food Health Risks for Children May Include Dental Problems, Jaw Deformities: Study

There is growing evidence about the serious health risks ultra-processed foods pose for children, with prior studies highlighting how the junk foods may cause childhood diabetes, fatty liver disease and other problems.

Amid a wave of new studies highlighting the serious health risks ultra-processed foods pose for children, which have been linked to the development of type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease and other chronic illnesses, new research suggests that toddlers consuming high amounts of ultra-processed food may also experience misaligned teeth and underdeveloped jaws.

In a recent report published by The Telegraph, researchers urge parents to avoid feeding ultra-processed foods to their children, indicating that the artificial softness may impact the growth of jaw muscles and the jaw itself, resulting in a number of potential long-term dental side effects.

Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are made from heavily refined ingredients, combined with additives, to mimic the taste, appearance and texture of real food. They include a wide variety of products, including sugary breakfast cereals, frozen ready-to-eat meals, soda and chips.

These types of food products often contain emulsifiers, artificial sweeteners and preservatives that are used to enhance the taste, texture and shelf-life of the products while offering no real nutritional benefits. However, there is now growing evidence that the food industry has known for decades about the health risks from ultra-processed foods, yet continued to aggressively market their products directly to children.

As a result, a growing number of lawyers across the U.S. are now investigating potential ultra-processed food lawsuits for families of children diagnosed with type 2 diabetes or fatty liver disease, claiming that the food industry has failed to disclose health risks, while employing marketing practices that prioritized profits over consumer safety.

In this new study, researchers from the Catholic University of Valencia note that, in general, ultra-processed foods are fairly soft and easy to chew. This may be speeding up a process of lower jaw development in humans that started when homo sapiens stopped being hunter-gatherers, they theorize.

The study analyzed the diets and jaw development of 25 children aged three to five, finding that those who consumed softer, often ultra-processed foods tended to develop misaligned teeth.

The researchers suggest that a diet of softer, ultra-processed foods may not adequately stimulate jaw and muscle development, leading to narrower gaps between baby teeth. Consequently, as adult teeth emerge, the insufficient spacing may cause misalignment.

Recent research has indicated that more than half of toddler’s diets in the U.S. and the U.K. comes from ultra-processed foods.

Health experts are calling for parents and caregivers to make sure to feed their children tougher foods, like raw vegetables, nuts and hard fruits, which will help them develop jaw muscles. In addition, they suggest children and adults reduce their intake of ultra-processed foods.