Intake of Ultraprocessed Foods Associated with Premature Death in Global Study
If you want to get more mileage out of your life, one of the best things you can do is reduce your intake of ultraprocessed foods. While most food is processed in some way, ultraprocessed foods are the convenient, “heat and eat” products with little “food in the food”. These foods have steadily replaced regular foods made from fresh, minimally processed ingredients.
A recent study evaluating information from global dietary surveys and mortality data from eight countries (Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, United Kingdom, and United States) found that early deaths due to intake of ultraprocessed foods (UPFs) rose significantly based on the percent of individuals’ total calorie intake. The study, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine emphasizes the call for action to cut back on UPF intake, supported by regulatory and financial policies which encourage healthier environments.
Eduardo Augusto Fernandes Nilson, DSc, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), Brazil, lead investigator of the study says, "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."
Past studies emphasized specific dietary risk factors versus food patterns. The new research mimicked data from nationally representative nutrition surveys and death data from eight countries (Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, United Kingdom, and the United States) and linked it to dietary patterns. It compares the extent and purpose of industrial food processing to mortality from all causes.
Dr. Nilson explains, "We first estimated a linear association between the dietary share of UPFs and all-cause mortality, so that each 10% increase in the participation of UPFs in the diet increases the risk of death from all causes by 3%. Then, 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. For example, in 2018, 124,000 premature deaths were attributable to the consumption of UPFs in the United States."
High intake of UPFs has been linked with 32 different diseases, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, certain types of cancer, and depression. This study is the first to estimate the level of UPF consumption and early deaths from all causes in different countries, revealing that the mortality attributed to UPF intake is significant. Shedding light on UPF consumption should be a national public nutrition focus.
Dr. Nilson notes, "It is concerning that, while in high-income countries UPF consumption is already high but relatively stable for over a decade, in low- and middle-income countries the consumption has continuously increased, meaning that while the attributable burden in high-income countries is currently higher, it is growing in the other countries. This shows that policies that disincentivize the consumption of UPFs are urgently needed globally, promoting traditional dietary patterns based on local fresh and minimally processed foods."
Below are the top 10 UPFs to avoid:
· Sweetened breakfast cereals
· Blended, frozen coffee drinks
· Fast food
· Frozen meals and snacks
· Flavored potato and tortilla chips
· Soda and other sugar-sweetened drinks and energy drinks
· Artificially flavored cheese crackers
· Granola bars with added artificial ingredients
· Instant mashed potato flakes
· Blended, frozen coffee drinks
Lisa Andrews, MEd, RD, LD
Reference:
Eduardo A.F. Nilson, Felipe Mendes Delpino, Carolina Batis, Priscila Pereira Machado, Jean-Claude Moubarac, Gustavo Cediel, Camila Corvalan, Gerson Ferrari, Fernanda Rauber, Euridice Martinez-Steele, Maria Laura da Costa Louzada, Renata Bertazzi Levy, Carlos A. Monteiro, Leandro F.M. Rezende. Premature Mortality Attributable to Ultraprocessed Food Consumption in 8 Countries. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 2025; DOI: 10.1016/j.amepre.2025.02.018
