In case you haven't heard…

A University of Toronto research team has found a link between early childhood consumption of ultra‐processed foods and later behavioral and emotional difficulties. The study, published in JAMA Network Open , reports that higher intake of these foods at age 3 was associated with signs of anxiety, fearfulness, aggression and hyperactivity by age 5. Lead investigator Kozeta Miliku, an assistant professor of nutritional sciences at the University of Toronto's Temerty Faculty of Medicine, said the preschool years are a critical period for both development and the formation of eating habits. She noted that the findings point to the need for early‐life interventions, from guidance for parents and caregivers to public health campaigns and stronger nutrition standards in child care settings. The JAMA study is the first to assess ultra‐processed food intake alongside standardized behavioral assessments in young children using detailed, prospective data. Researchers analyzed dietary information from more than 2,000 participants in the CHILD Cohort Study — a Canadian national project tracking children from before birth through adolescence. Ultra‐processed foods — industrial products made primarily from refined ingredients and additives — currently comprise nearly half of Canadian preschoolers’ calories.