Recently a 30-year study found by Harvard says that people who regularly consumes ultra-processed meats faces a 13% higher likelihood of premature death.
Higher consumption of most ultra-processed foods is linked to a slightly higher risk of death, the food containes ready-to-eat meat, poultry, and seafood-based products, sugary drinks, dairy-based desserts, and highly processed breakfast foods showing the strongest associations.
What are Ultra-processed foods?
Ultra-processed food (UPF) is an industrially formulated edible substance derived from natural food or synthesized from other organic compounds. The resulting products are designed to be highly profitable, convenient, and hyperpalatable, often through food additives such as preservatives, colourings, and flavourings.
The state of research into ultra-processed foods and their effects is evolving rapidly as of 2024. Epidemiological data suggest that consumption of ultra-processed foods is associated with higher risks of many diseases, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and specific cancers.Additionally, growing bodies of data point to food addiction associated with consumption of ultra-processed foods, especially among youth.
“Our findings suggest that meat/poultry/seafood based ready-to-eat products and sugar sweetened and artificially sweetened beverages are major factors contributing to the harmful influence of ultra-processed foods on mortality, which is in accordance with previous studies,” the study authors wrote.
“The findings provide support for limiting consumption of certain types of ultra-processed food for long-term health. On the basis of our data, limiting total ultra-processed food consumption may not have a substantial influence on premature death, whereas reducing consumption of certain ultra-processed food subgroups (for example, processed meat) can be beneficial,” the research added.
