Ultra-Processed Food Linked to 32 Harmful Health Effects, Claims Study
London, United Kingdom – A recent study, hailed as the world’s largest review of its kind, has found that ultra-processed food (UPF) is directly associated with 32 adverse health issues, including a higher risk of heart disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, mental health problems, and even early death.
The findings, published in the prestigious British Medical Journal (BMJ), highlight the alarming consequences of the rapidly increasing global consumption of UPF. Products such as cereals, protein bars, fizzy drinks, ready meals, and fast food have become a significant part of the average diet in countries like the United Kingdom and the United States, comprising more than half of the total food intake for many individuals. The situation is particularly concerning for younger individuals, those from lower-income backgrounds, and disadvantaged areas, for whom UPF makes up as much as 80% of their diet.
The study, conducted by experts from leading institutions including Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, the University of Sydney, and Sorbonne University, emphasizes the urgent need for strategies to target and reduce exposure to UPF for enhanced public health.
One-Stop Summary of the Study’s Key Findings:
- Direct association between UPF consumption and 32 health issues, spanning from mortality, cancer, to mental, respiratory, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and metabolic health conditions.
- Higher UPF intake linked to a 50% increased risk of cardiovascular disease-related death.
- Increased risk of anxiety, common mental disorders, and type 2 diabetes, with percentages ranging from 48% to 53%.
- 21% greater risk of death from any cause, as supported by highly suggestive evidence.
- Elevated risk of obesity, heart disease-related death, sleep problems, and depression, among other health outcomes.
- Associations found between UPF and asthma, gastrointestinal health, certain types of cancer, and cardiometabolic risk factors.
Unveiling the Dark Side of Ultra-Processed Foods
Ultra-processed foods, which include packaged baked goods and snacks, fizzy drinks, sugary cereals, and ready-to-eat or ready meals, are created through multiple industrial processes and often contain additives, flavors, and high amounts of added sugar, fat, and salt. This leads to a poor nutritional profile with low vitamin and fiber content. Although previous studies have indicated the negative health impacts of UPF, the present review, an umbrella review involving almost 10 million people, provides the most comprehensive analysis to date.
It is important to note that some experts have raised concerns about the limitations of the research and the inability to prove cause and effect with certainty. However, speaking on the issue, Dr. Chris van Tulleken, an expert in UPF from University College London, reinforced the study’s findings. Dr. Tulleken explained, “The mechanisms by which these foods drive harm are multifaceted, ranging from poor nutritional content to aggressive marketing and targeting of disadvantaged communities.”
In light of the study’s outcomes, academics from Brazil have called for UN agencies and member states to develop a framework convention on ultra-processed foods, similar to those in place for tobacco. This would help regulate and mitigate the negative impact of UPF consumption on global health.
In a related study, published in the Lancet Public Health, researchers projected that if all food establishments in England, including restaurants, fast food outlets, cafes, pubs, and takeaways, were required to display calorie information on their menus, over 9,000 deaths related to heart disease could be prevented over the next twenty years.
It is clear that the alarming findings of this comprehensive review urgently call for public-health measures targeting the reduction of ultra-processed food consumption for the betterment of human health.
