High Consumption of Ultra-processed Foods Linked to Systemic Inflammation, New Research Suggests
BOCA RATON, FL – A growing body of research indicates a critically important correlation between high consumption of ultra-processed foods and increased systemic inflammation, possibly contributing to a range of chronic health conditions. While the link isn’t entirely new, escalating rates of ultra-processed food intake alongside rising chronic disease prevalence are prompting renewed focus from medical institutions like Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. schmidt College of Medicine.
The findings are notably relevant to Palm Beach County, Florida, where access to and consumption of these foods is widespread. Florida Atlantic university (FAU), designated as an “R1: Very High Research Spending and Doctorate Production” university by the Carnegie classification of Institutions of Higher Education, is actively working to bolster the region’s physician workforce and address emerging health challenges. The FAU Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine Consortium for Graduate Medical Education (GME),formed in fall 2011 with five leading Palm Beach County hospitals,currently supports five ACGME-accredited residencies – internal medicine,surgery,emergency medicine,psychiatry,and neurology – and five fellowships including cardiology,hospice and palliative care,geriatrics,vascular surgery,and pulmonary disease and critical care medicine. These programs are crucial for training physicians equipped to manage inflammation-related illnesses.
Systemic inflammation, a prolonged activation of the immune system, is implicated in conditions like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, and autoimmune disorders. Ultra-processed foods – typically high in sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats, and containing artificial additives – are thought to trigger this inflammatory response. Researchers believe these foods disrupt the gut microbiome, increase intestinal permeability (“leaky gut”), and directly activate immune cells.
FAU serves over 32,000 undergraduate and graduate students across six campuses along the Southeast Florida coast. Recognized nationally in 2025 as a Top 25 Best-In-Class College and lauded by Washington Monthly as an “engine of upward mobility,” the university welcomed its most academically competitive incoming class in Fall 2025. The university also manages the florida Atlantic University Medical Group, offering thorough primary care, and the Marcus Institute of Integrative Health, specializing in integrative pain management, precision therapies, and mental health – areas often impacted by chronic inflammation.
Further research is ongoing to fully understand the complex interplay between diet, inflammation, and disease, but experts emphasize the importance of prioritizing whole, unprocessed foods to mitigate risk.
