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Joe Wicks: Licensed to Kill
As you may have seen, I've been working on a documentary looking at unregulated ultra-processed foods (UPFs) in the UK. I really stepped out of my comfort zone filming this to tackle a big problem facing us all.
The documentary, where I create my Killer Bar, looks at ultra-processed foods, how they’re made, the lack of regulations in the UK around these foods, and how they’re marketed to us. The aim is to raise awareness of how much of our diet is made up of these foods without us realising, the impact they are having on our health, and to get us all thinking more critically about what we eat.
I’ve always cared about people’s diet and nutrition – and my goal isn't to demonise food at all. Instead, I want to highlight the importance of making conscious choices, and not relying heavily on products that are engineered to replace real, whole foods. I really hope you'll tune in and watch it.
Joe Wicks: Licensed to Kill airs on Channel 4 at 8pm on Monday 6 October.
What are UPFs?
Ultra-processed food (UPF) is food that contains ingredients like additives, preservatives, and artificial flavours that you wouldn’t usually use at home. Think ready meals, soft drinks, packaged snacks, and processed meats. These foods have a long shelf life.
Not all UPFs are equal – for example a sugary fizzy drink is more harmful than mass-produced UPF wholegrain bread. However, we do know that almost all UPFs have more than recommended levels of salt, sugar, and fat.
Why am I talking about this now?
The UK is the largest consumer of UPF in the world after the US. Up to 80% of children’s diets in low-income families in the UK is made of UPF.
I myself grew up on the same diet, so this is really important to me. Through this documentary, I want to uncover the harmful effects a diet high in UPFs can have on our diet and health, and pressure the government and the food companies to make some changes.
You can read more about my journey making this documentary here.
