Eating a lot of ultra-processed foods (UPF) could increase the risk of dying early, according to a study done in eight countries, including the UK and the US.
Examples of UPF include processed meats, biscuits, sugary drinks, ice cream, and some breakfast cereals. These foods are becoming more common in diets around the world. UPFs usually contain more than five ingredients, including additives, sweeteners, and chemicals that change the food’s texture or look, and these ingredients aren’t typically found in home-cooked meals.
Experts aren’t sure exactly why UPFs may be linked to poor health, but it could be because these foods often have high levels of fat, salt, and sugar. However, there’s little proof that it’s the processing itself that harms health.
The researchers behind the study looked at past research to estimate how much ultra-processed food affects early deaths. They can’t say for sure that eating UPFs directly causes early deaths because factors like diet, exercise, and wealth can also affect health. The study used data from eight countries: Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, the UK, and the US.
The study suggests that in countries like the UK and the US, where UPFs make up more than half of people’s calorie intake, 14% of early deaths could be linked to these foods. In countries like Colombia and Brazil, where UPFs make up less than 20% of the diet, the study estimates that these foods are linked to about 4% of early deaths.
Dr. Eduardo Nilson, who led the study, said UPFs affect health because they contain artificial ingredients, like colorings, flavors, sweeteners, and other additives that are added during processing.
The study estimates that in 2018, around 124,000 early deaths in the US were linked to UPFs, and nearly 18,000 in the UK. The study suggests that governments should update their health advice to encourage people to eat fewer ultra-processed foods.
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However, a UK government panel on nutrition recently said there isn’t enough strong evidence to link the way food is processed to poor health.
What Are Ultra-Processed Foods? There is no single definition of UPFs, but the NOVA classification is commonly used. Some examples of UPFs are:
- Cakes, pastries, and biscuits
- Crisps
- Supermarket bread
- Sausages, burgers, and hot dogs
- Instant soups, noodles, and desserts
- Chicken nuggets and fish fingers
- Fruit yogurts and fruit drinks
- Margarines and spreads
- Baby formula
Still Questions to Answer The study’s numbers are based on models, which means they are estimates. Prof. Kevin McConway, an expert in statistics, said that the study makes many assumptions, and we can’t be sure about the findings. It’s still unclear whether just eating any UPF is bad for health or which specific parts of UPFs might be harmful.
Dr. Nerys Astbury, an expert in diet and obesity, said that while we know diets high in fat, sugar, and calories can cause diseases like diabetes, obesity, heart problems, and cancer, it’s still unclear if UPFs cause harm in ways beyond just being high in these nutrients.
Dr. Stephen Burgess from Cambridge University agrees that research so far can’t prove that UPFs are harmful, but he suggests that when many studies in different countries show a link between UPFs and health risks, these foods may not just be a bystander.
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The Food and Drink Federation, which represents food manufacturers, says that calling foods “ultra-processed” unfairly labels many foods, like yogurt and pasta sauces, that can be part of a healthy diet. They also say that all additives used in food are approved as safe by the Food Standards Agency.
