Mathilde Touvier Identifying correlations between ultra-processed foods and health

You are what you eat

Diet is one of the main factors influencing our health. Some changes in eating habits that have occurred in recent decades, such as the increase in the consumption of ultra-processed products, raise questions about their impact on human health at the global level.

Ultra-processed foods are foods that have undergone one or more physical, chemical or biological transformations, or that contain various additives. They’re often in our cupboards! Dr. Touvier's team has helped to uncover a link between the consumption of these foods and possible negative health effects. Now she is trying to understand how different facets of ultra-processed foods (the degree of processing, additives alone or in combination, packaging contaminants) affect long-term human health.

A large-scale epidemiological study

Dr. Touvier and her team are closely monitoring the eating habits of 171,000 people in the NutriNet-Santé study to study the relationship between diet and health. The data gathered for each individual (including product consumption frequency, brand and cooking method) is complemented by urine, feces and blood samples. The epidemiological study uses relevant analytical methods to determine correlations between different aspects of ultra-processed foods and health, with a particular focus on cancer, obesity and cardiovascular disease. Additional cell or animal studies will be conducted to establish cause and effect relationships.

This is the first research program to address the issue so comprehensively. It could have a direct impact on consumer choices, the food industry and health authorities to guide the development of public health policies.

The foundation’s support

The Bettencourt Prize Coups d'Élan pour la recherche française will contribute to the team’s research by allowing them to adapt their computers, data storage and work space to their needs.