Health Farm

Who doesn’t like to dabble – or occasionally gorge – on the bad boys of the food pyramid? We’re talking ultra-processed foods, such as packaged snacks, baked goods, and even dehydrated vegetable soups (vege soup – who knew?).

Two new studies will make you think twice before plunging a greasy hand deep into your next packet of crisps. Because high consumption of ultra-processed foods is associated cardiovascular and all-cause mortality risks. That’s right – processed foods will kill you.

Heaping on chronic diseases

Cancer, type 2 diabetes, celiac disease, and multiple sclerosis are just a few of the conditions associated with consuming processed foods. The two new studies, published in the BMJ, add further weight to the fast-rising pile of evidence pointing to the potential killing power of processed foods.

Cardiovascular risks of processed food

Digging into data captured in a study called NutriNet-Santé – one of the largest worldwide studies of nutrition and health – researchers followed participants for a decade, between 2009 and 2018. Here’s what they found: For every 10% increase in the amount of ultra-processed foods participants consumed, the risk of cardiovascular disease increased by 12%; coronary heart disease increased by 13%; and cerebrovascular disease increased by 11%.

By contrast, those who consumed minimally processed or unprocessed foods were at a lower risk of developing these cardiovascular diseases. According to the American Heart Association (AHA), one in three deaths in the United States occurs as a result of cardiovascular disease.

Ultra-processed foods may raise death risk

The second study examined links between the consumption of ultra-processed foods and the risk of mortality from any cause. After following 19,899 adults for a decade and grouping participants by the foods they ate, analysis showed that people who consumed more than four servings of ultra-processed food each day were 62% more likely to die from any cause compared with those who consumed two servings or fewer. The relative risk of premature mortality increased by 18% with each additional serving of ultra-processed food.

Scientists concluded: “Policymakers should shift their priorities away from food reformulation — which risks positioning ultra-processed food as a solution to dietary problems — toward a greater emphasis on promoting the availability, affordability, and accessibility of unprocessed or minimally processed foods.”

Ultra-processed foods are not a solution to dietary problems.