A new study suggests that consuming ultra-processed foods may increase the risk of pre-diabetes and high blood sugar levels in young people.

In a recently published study, scientists found that even a small increase in fast food, packaged snacks and meals, sodium- and sugar-rich drinks, and foods containing unhealthy fats can significantly increase a person’s risk of pre-diabetes.

Lead author of the study, Dr. Via Lidda Chatzi, said that adolescence is the period when the foundation for a person’s long-term health is laid.

She said that if attention is paid to this stage, there is an opportunity to prevent risks like pre-diabetes forever, before they become lifelong problems.

Scientists from the University of California examined 85 young people aged 17 to 22 for four years and analyzed their consumption of ultra-processed foods in detail.