Study links ultra-processed foods to increased risk of chronic disease and death

New research and systematic reviews involving millions of adults further link ultra-processed foods (UPFs) to chronic diseases, cardiovascular events, and mortality. However, a U.K. Biobank study of 56,964 adults indicates that lifestyle modifications, specifically combining a low-UPF diet with regular physical activity, can slash type 2 diabetes risk by up to 70%, proving that genetic susceptibility is not destiny. Meanwhile, the Trump administration and RFK Jr. are weighing a federal definition of UPFs amid ongoing debates between food scientists and public health advocates over whether processing itself or overall nutritional content drives these health risks.

Systematic reviews on ultra-processed foods

• ▪A systematic review of 51 prospective cohort studies involving 8,819,894 adults found that higher ultra-processed food intake raised the risk of all-cause death by 18%, digestive diseases by 31%, and cardiovascular events by 24%.
• ▪A systematic review published in Family Medicine and Community Health linked higher ultra-processed food consumption to a 23% increased risk of overweight and obesity, and a 24% increased risk of metabolic syndrome and diabetes.
• ▪Each additional 100 grams of daily ultra-processed food intake raised the risk of all-cause death by 3%, cancer by 4%, and metabolic syndrome and diabetes by 2%, according to a systematic review.
• ▪A review of 41 prospective studies involving over 8.2 million adults associated each additional 100 grams of daily ultra-processed food with a 5.9% increase in cardiovascular events and a 14.5% increase in hypertension risk.

UK Biobank findings on diabetes risk

• ▪An analysis of 56,964 U.K. Biobank participants found that eating fewer ultra-processed foods combined with regular moderate-to-vigorous physical activity cut type 2 diabetes risk by up to 70%, and halved it for those with high genetic predisposition.
• ▪U.K. Biobank participants meeting the World Health Organization recommendation of 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity weekly had a 39% lower risk of type 2 diabetes than those who exercised less.

Primary care guidance

• ▪Primary care practitioners may advise patients to gradually reduce ultra-processed food intake to approximately 10% to 20% of total daily energy intake by replacing them with minimally processed alternatives.
• ▪Researchers concluded that systematic review data highlights the need for integrated, risk factor-oriented management in primary care, which serves as the first contact for managing coexisting conditions.

Debate on food processing

• ▪Professor David Julian McClements stated that attempting to eliminate ultra-processed foods holds back innovation in the food industry.
• ▪Food scientist Professor David Julian McClements stated that the ultra-processed food concept is poorly defined and focusing on processing is a red herring, whereas Professor Jean Adams argued that processing itself causes harm.

Food industry response

• ▪The UK Food and Drink Federation stated that its members have invested millions of pounds in healthier product innovation.
• ▪The UK Food and Drink Federation stated its members cut salt, sugar, and calories by almost a fifth just in the last five years, aligning with regulations focusing on nutritional content rather than processing levels.

Debatable claims

• ▪The US government should crack down on ultra-processed foods
• ▪Food processing itself causes harm to human health
• ▪Redesigning processed foods is a more realistic health strategy than trying to eliminate them
• ▪The category of 'ultra-processed food' is too poorly defined to guide public health policy