Experts are calling for changes to dietary guidelines to protect consumers health
Key takeaways
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Ultra-processed food health risks: Researchers found that those who consume the most ultra-processed foods have a higher risk of premature death.
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Global analysis: The team explored data from eight countries around the world to understand how diet can impact longevity.
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Changing dietary guidelines: Consumers around the world are increasing their ultra-processed food consumption, and the researchers are urging policymakers to rethink dietary guidelines.
A new study published in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine explored the health risks associated with ultra-processed foods (UPFs).
The researchers found that UPFs are associated with preventable premature deaths, and they urge global policymakers to use these findings to update dietary recommendations to promote health and longevity.
"UPFs affect health beyond the individual impact of high content of critical nutrients (sodium, trans fats, and sugar) because of the changes in the foods during industrial processing and the use of artificial ingredients, including colorants, artificial flavors and sweeteners, emulsifiers, and many other additives and processing aids, so assessing deaths from all-causes associated with UPF consumption allows an overall estimate of the effect of industrial food processing on health, lead investigator Eduardo Augusto Fernandes Nilson, DSc, said in a news release.
The study
To understand the long-term health effects of UPFs, the researchers analyzed data from eight countries Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
They looked specifically at dietary surveys and mortality data from each of the countries. Then, they determined the link between UPFs and mortality from any cause.
The risks of UPFs
Ultimately, there was a clear link between UPF consumption and premature death.
The study found that each 10% increase in UPF contribution was associated with a 2.7% increase in the risk of death from any cause.
Using the relative risks and the food consumption data for all countries (ranging from 15% of the total energy intake in Colombia, to over 50% of the calories in the United States), we built a model that estimated that the percentage of all-cause premature preventable deaths due to the consumption of UPFs can vary from 4% in countries with lower UPF consumption to almost 14% in countries with the highest UPF consumption, Dr. Nilson said.
For example, in 2018, 124,000 premature deaths were attributable to the consumption of UPFs in the United States."
Discouraging UPFs around the world
The researchers explained that UPF consumption is increasing both in the U.S. and around the world. However, the health risks are extensive, and these latest findings further emphasize the need for dietary changes globally.
Policies that disincentivize the consumption of UPFs are urgently needed globally, promoting traditional dietary patterns based on local fresh and minimally processed foods, Dr. Nilson said.
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Posted: 2025-04-30 02:07:42
