Ultra-Processed Foods: High Risk of Death Confirmed
Many studies have already warned about the health risks associated with regular consumption of ultra-processed foods. However, a new study published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) stands out for its 30-year follow-up. The analysis, which establishes a link between ultra-processed foods and a higher risk of premature death, suggests that while not all ultra-processed foods should be universally restricted, limiting or avoiding certain ones is beneficial for long-term health.
Ultra-processed foods include packaged bakery products, snacks, sugary cereals, ready-to-eat or heat-and-eat meals, and sugary drinks. These foods often contain additives like colorants, emulsifiers, and flavors, and are typically high in energy, added sugar, saturated fats, and salt, while lacking in vitamins and fiber.
Overall, the research confirms that higher consumption of most ultra-processed foods is linked to a higher risk of death. Ready-to-eat meat, poultry, and seafood products, sugary drinks, dairy-based desserts, and ultra-processed breakfast foods show the strongest associations with this increased risk of death.
There is growing evidence linking ultra-processed foods to higher risks of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and colon cancer. However, this long-term study focused on long-term premature mortality.
The study followed the long-term health of 74,563 registered nurses from 11 U.S. states participating in the Nurses’ Health Study (1984-2018) and 39,501 health professionals participating in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (1986-2018). Participants had no history of cancer, cardiovascular diseases, or diabetes at the start. Their health data, including detailed dietary information, was collected every two years. The overall quality of their diet was assessed using the Alternative Healthy Eating Index-2010 score. Over the average 34-year follow-up period:
– 48,193 deaths were recorded, including 13,557 from cancer, 11,416 from cardiovascular diseases, 3,926 from respiratory diseases, and 6,343 from neurodegenerative diseases;
– compared to those in the lowest quartile of ultra-processed food consumption, those in the highest quartile (with an average consumption of 7 servings per day) had a 4% higher risk of all-cause mortality, including an 8% increased risk of neurodegenerative disease;
– no associations were found for deaths from cardiovascular causes, cancer, or respiratory diseases;
– the death rates from all causes among participants in the lowest and highest quartiles of ultra-processed food consumption were 1,472 and 1,536 per 100,000 person-years, respectively;
– the association between ultra-processed food consumption and death varied by type of ultra-processed foods consumed:
– ready-to-eat meat, poultry, and seafood products showed the strongest associations,
– followed by sugary and artificially sweetened drinks,
– dairy-based desserts,
– and finally, ultra-processed breakfast foods.
While the study is observational and does not prove a cause-and-effect relationship, it is a large-scale study with unprecedented follow-up duration, detailed, validated, and repeated data, and its conclusions align with previous research on the subject. The authors also note that these findings might lead to the misconception that non-ultra-processed foods like red meat can be consumed frequently, which is not the case.