Study finds ultra-processed foods raise risk of heart disease, diabetes and mortality
A review of more than 50 studies involving nearly 9 million adults shows that higher consumption of ultra-processed foods is associated with increased risks of cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, certain cancers and premature death.
A new analysis published in the journal Family Medicine and Community Health reports that greater intake of ultra-processed foods is linked to a higher likelihood of several serious health conditions, including heart disease, strokes, obesity, diabetes, depression, anxiety, digestive disorders and cancer. The review examined data from over 50 studies that tracked the diets of almost 9 million adults worldwide for periods ranging from two to 32 years.
"Ultra-processed food is one of the major problems in public health," said Dr. Xiao Liu, lead author of the study and a physician at Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital and research fellow at Duke-NUS Medical School.
The researchers found that each additional 100 grams of ultra-processed foods consumed per day was associated with a 14 % higher risk of heart disease and an 11 % higher risk of elevated blood pressure. Overall, high consumption raised the risk of cardiovascular disease by 24 %, diabetes by 24 % and obesity by 23 %.
Registered dietitian Maya Feller explained that ultra-processed items typically contain large amounts of added sugars, salts and fats, and are engineered to be highly appealing. Examples include packaged snacks, processed meats, cookies, cakes, sugary drinks and many ready-to-eat meals.
Feller distinguished between different levels of processing, noting that whole fruits, frozen vegetables, plain pasta, rice and beans are minimally processed and can be affordable alternatives. She advised shoppers to read ingredient lists, looking for products where the first ingredient matches the food name on the front of the package.
For parents, Feller suggested focusing on education and modeling healthy eating habits rather than strict control of children’s school meals, emphasizing family meals as an opportunity to influence dietary choices.
"In our modern society, our diet and food is maybe not safe… we should eat more vegetables and reduce the ultra-processed food to make us healthier," Liu added.
The authors concluded that reducing overall consumption of ultra-processed foods, while increasing intake of fruits, vegetables and other minimally processed foods, could lower the risk of the highlighted health outcomes.