Consumer columnist and West Hartford resident Harlan Levy has more than 20 years of experience writing stories about everyday experiences that anyone could encounter.

By Harlan Levy

It seems settled that ultra-processed foods are bad for your health, but what are ultra-processed foods? One broad definition is foods that typically contain additives, preservatives, sweeteners, and emulsifiers.

Here’s a list: Instant noodles, chips, cookies, crackers, soft drinks, breakfast cereals, frozen meals, hot dogs (my favorite), ice cream (my second favorite), sausages, burgers, margarine, pre-made pizzas, etc.

It is estimated that approximately 70% of packaged products in the U.S. food supply are foods often considered ultra-processed, and that children get over 60% of their calories from such foods, the FDA said in an announcement. Dozens of scientific studies have found links between the consumption of foods often considered ultra-processed with numerous adverse health outcomes, including cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, cancer, obesity, and neurological disorders.

The problem is how to regulate ultra-processed foods. In fact, there’s no precise definition, which means there’s no effective regulation. Currently, there is no single authoritative definition for ultra-processed foods for the U.S. food supply, the FDA said. Creating a uniform federal definition will serve as a key deliverable.

That’s why Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (the anti-vaccine warrior), Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke L. Rollins, and the Food and Drug Administration are taking action to create a federal definition, so they can do something about growing concerns around ultra-processed foods and the current epidemic of diet-related childhood chronic disease.

The agencies have made a joint Request for Information (RFI) to gather information and data to help establish a federally recognized uniform definition for ultra-processed foods—a critical step in providing increased transparency to consumers about the foods they eat.

“Ultra-processed foods are driving our chronic disease epidemic,” Kennedy said. “We must act boldly to eliminate the root causes of chronic illness and improve the health of our food supply.

The RFI was publicly available in the federal register on July 24 and seeks information on what factors and criteria should be included in a definition of ultra-processed foods.

Well … that’s a start.

Autism and biology

In the midst of controversy over the causes of autism, researchers at Princeton University and the Simons Foundation have identified four clinically and biologically distinct subtypes of autism, a step in understanding the condition’s genetic underpinnings and potential for personalized care.

In a report published July 9 in Nature Genetics, the researchers analyzed data from over 5,000 children in SPARK, an autism cohort study, using a computational model to group individuals based on their combinations of traits. The team considered a broad range of over 230 traits in each individual, from social interactions to repetitive behaviors to developmental milestones, rather than searching for genetic links to single traits.

“This approach enabled the discovery of clinically relevant autism subtypes, which the researchers linked to distinct genetic profiles and developmental trajectories, offering new insights into the biology underlying autism,” the study reported.

“Understanding the genetics of autism is essential for revealing the biological mechanisms that contribute to the condition, enabling earlier and more accurate diagnosis, and guiding personalized care,” said senior study author Professor Olga Troyanskaya.

The study defines four subtypes of autism – Social and Behavioral Challenges, Mixed ASD with Developmental Delay, Moderate Challenges, and Broadly Affected. Each subtype exhibits distinct developmental, medical, behavioral, and psychiatric traits, and importantly, different patterns of genetic variation.

• Individuals in the Social and Behavioral Challenges group show core autism traits, including social challenges and repetitive behaviors, but generally reach developmental milestones at a pace similar to children without autism.  They also often experience co-occurring conditions like ADHD, anxiety, depression or obsessive-compulsive disorder alongside autism. One of the larger groups, this constitutes around 37% of the participants in the study.
• The Mixed ASD with Developmental Delay group tends to reach developmental milestones, such as walking and talking, later than children without autism, but usually does not show signs of anxiety, depression or disruptive behaviors. “Mixed” refers to differences within this group with respect to repetitive behaviors and social challenges. This group represents approximately 19% of the participants.
• Individuals with Moderate Challenges show core autism-related behaviors, but less strongly than those in the other groups, and usually reach developmental milestones on a similar track to those without autism. They generally do not experience co-occurring psychiatric conditions. Roughly 34% of participants fall into this category.
• The Broadly Affected group faces more extreme and wide-ranging challenges, including developmental delays, social and communication difficulties, repetitive behaviors, and co-occurring psychiatric conditions like anxiety, depression and mood dysregulation. This is the smallest group, accounting for around 10% of the participants.

“These findings are powerful because the classes represent different clinical presentations and outcomes, and critically we were able to connect them to distinct underlying biology,” said co-lead author Aviya Litman.

For decades, autism researchers and clinicians have been seeking robust definitions of autism subtypes to aid in diagnosis and care. Autism is known to be highly inheritable, with many implicated genes. “While genetic testing is already part of the standard of care for people diagnosed with autism, thus far, this testing reveals variants that explain the autism of only about 20% of patients,” said study co-author Jennifer Foss-Feig.

For families navigating autism, knowing which subtype of autism their child has can offer new clarity, tailored care, support and community. “Understanding genetic causes for more individuals with autism could lead to more targeted developmental monitoring, precision treatment, and tailored support and accommodations at school or work,” said Foss-Feig. “It could tell families, when their children with autism are still young, something more about what symptoms they might – or might not – experience, what to look out for over the course of a lifespan, which treatments to pursue, and how to plan for their future.”

That’s more than helpful!

NOTE: If you have a consumer problem, contact me at [email protected] (“Consumer” in subject line), and, with the power of the press, maybe I can help.

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