Her shoulders are hunched, no doubt struggling under the weight of her enormous, distended belly and her pendulous “moobs.”
His skin is mottled with acne, his legs are swollen and infected with sores, and he looks, disturbingly, through yellow eyes with dark circles under them.
Meet Michael, who is not, as it might seem, a character from the latest horror movie or mafia-inspired crime series.
In fact, it is an AI-generated image of what the average British man will be like in 30 years, if diets remain high in junk food.
And the result of decades of eating poorly is not pleasant at all. Aside from the obvious horrors caused by his morbid obesity, his health is being affected in other ways.
Michael has asthma, depression and anxiety, and has trouble sleeping; All of these problems are caused and exacerbated by excess weight.
And you’re at risk for type 2 diabetes and heart disease, making you a candidate for a debilitating heart attack or stroke.
The ‘model’ was created as part of a report by the cookbook Gousto.
Meet Michael, an AI-generated image of what the average British man will look like in 30 years, if diets remain high in junk food.
His skin is mottled with acne, his legs are swollen and infected with sores, and he stares eerily through yellow eyes with dark circles under them.
Their study hopes to raise awareness of the long-term impacts of current eating habits and shed light on unhealthy eating in the UK.
In recent decades, ultra-processed foods, highly processed and loaded with additives, have become a staple of the modern British diet.
There is growing evidence to suggest that soft drinks, biscuits and convenience foods are responsible for a range of health harms, including cancer.
People on diets rich in UPF also die younger, research has shown.
However, surprisingly, these foods make up 57 percent of the average adult’s diet and, even more worryingly, 66 percent of a child’s diet.
And the UK consumed more UPF than any other European country, official data shows.
Obesity rates have skyrocketed in recent decades, with the most recent data showing that overall a quarter of adults are obese and carrying excess weight at levels known to increase the risk of disease.
In some areas of the UK this figure amounts to almost half the local population.
The Nova system, developed by scientists in Brazil more than a decade ago, divides foods into four groups based on the amount of processing they have gone through. Unprocessed foods include fruits, vegetables, nuts, eggs, and meat. Processed culinary ingredients, which are not typically eaten alone, include oils, butter, sugar, and salt.
Rates among children are equally disturbing: 15 percent (or one in eight) of children ages two to 15 are classified as obese.
According to a survey by Gusto, almost two-thirds of Brits are unaware of the long-term impacts of UPF, despite three-quarters saying they wanted to eat healthier but didn’t have the time or money.
Dr Hilary Jones, GP and media commentator said: ‘Ultra-processed foods are not inherently harmful, but when they dominate our diets and replace fresh, nutrient-dense foods, they can increase the risk of long-term health problems such as cardiovascular disease, metabolic disorders and nutrient deficiencies. .
‘A balanced diet full of fresh, whole ingredients is essential for preventing chronic diseases and supporting overall health.
‘Cooking from scratch is one of the most effective ways to minimize our intake of ultra-processed foods and maintain a balanced diet.’
The impact of ultra-processed foods is increasingly a cause for concern among leading British experts, with some suspecting these foods may contain ingredients that are causing a rise in cancers in those under 50.
Professor Charles Swanton, oncologist and chief medical officer at Cancer Research UK recently highlighted emerging links between the “disruptive” pattern and ultra-processed diets.
Speaking at the American Society of Clinical Oncology last year, he said studies have shown that some early-onset bowel cancers can be “initiated” by bacteria in the gut that are prevalent in those who eat low-fiber, high-sugar diets.
Michael suffers from asthma, a condition caused and exacerbated by obesity, studies have shown.
The AI ”model” is also affected by joint inflammation and skin infections, which are due to lack of nutrients and obesity.
“What we are seeing in some studies is that some tumors from patients with early-onset colorectal cancer harbor mutations that could be initiated by these microbial species,” he said.
These mutations are thought to reduce the body’s ability to fight precancerous cells.
Dr. Cathy Eng, a bowel cancer doctor at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, also noted that many young cancer patients also suffer from lifestyle conditions linked to poor diet, such as high blood pressure , high cholesterol and diabetes.
Matthew Lambert, nutritionist and health information and promotion manager at the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF), told MailOnline: ‘We advise people to eat less foods that are overly processed and high in saturated fat, sugar and salt.
‘This includes foods such as cakes, cookies, pastries, chips, sugary drinks and fast food such as pizza and hamburgers.
“These types of foods have no fiber and practically no essential nutrients; they should only be consumed occasionally and in small quantities.”
He adds that it is still unclear whether the risk lies in the junk food itself or in the fact that it is easy to eat in large quantities, which increases the chances of gaining weight.
However, it is well known that obesity is a direct cause of several different types of cancer (13, according to Lambert).
WHAT SHOULD A BALANCED DIET LOOK LIKE?
Meals should be based on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, ideally whole grains, according to the NHS.
• Eat at least 5 servings of a variety of fruits and vegetables every day. All fresh, frozen, dried, and canned fruits and vegetables count
• Base meals are based on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, ideally whole grains.
• 30 grams of fiber per day: This is equivalent to eating all of the following: 5 servings of fruits and vegetables, 2 whole grain crackers, 2 thick slices of whole wheat bread, and one large baked potato with skin.
• Eat some dairy or dairy alternatives (such as soy drinks) by choosing low-fat, low-sugar options.
• Eat some beans, legumes, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins (including 2 servings of fish each week, one of which should be fatty).
• Choose unsaturated oils and spreads and consume them in small amounts
• Drink 6 to 8 cups/glasses of water a day
• Adults should consume less than 6 g of salt and 20 g of saturated fat for women or 30 g for men per day.
Source: NHS Eatwell Guide