Ultra-processed foods harm multiple body systems, new research review finds

29 Feb 2024 --- Ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption is consistently associated with an increased risk of developing 32 adverse health outcomes, including cancer, adverse mental, respiratory, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal and metabolic health issues and all-cause mortality in the latest review. UPFs are defined as industrial formulations primarily made up of chemically modified substances derived from food and prepared with taste, texture, appearance and durability enhancers.

The study review adds to the existing original epidemiological research pointing to the adverse health outcomes of the consumption of UPFs, such as baked goods, snacks, fizzy drinks, sugary cereals and ready-to-eat products. It does this by providing the first-of-its-kind comprehensive umbrella review of existing research, finding consistent evidence of risk, and supporting the urgent need for further research and public health policy action.

“These findings support urgent mechanistic research and public health actions that seek to target and minimize ultra-processed food consumption for improved population health,” state the researchers based in Australia, France, Ireland and the US.

UPF consumption had been associated with a 50% increase in the risk of cardiovascular disease-related deaths.Considering the alarming findings about the sheer scale of damage associated with UPF consumption and the growing prevalence in the diets of high, middle and low-income nations, the authors call for appropriate policies to address the growing issue. 

Negative health outcomes
The study review published in The BMJ looks at 12 meta-analysis studies with 45 distinct pool analyses after applying eligibility criteria to the pre-identified 430 de-duplicated articles. 

“The paper by Lane et. al reinforces something we have known for some time –– that, broadly speaking, certain ultra-processed foods are bad for human health,” comments professor Martin Warren, at Quadram Institute, UK. “In this study the authors used a statistical technique to combine the results of multiple independent studies on the association between ultra-processed food and poor health, to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the overall effect.”

The researchers associate high UPF consumption with a 50% increase in the risk of cardiovascular disease-related deaths, a 48-53% increase in the risk of anxiety and common mental disorders and a 12% increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. 

The new data also suggests a 21% greater risk of death from any cause, a 40-66% higher chance of heart disease-related death, obesity and sleep problems, as well as a 22% increased possibility of developing cancer.

There is also some limited evidence associating UPFs with asthma, poor gastrointestinal health and cardiometabolic risk factors, such as high blood fats and low levels of “good” cholesterol. 

Two extensive studies conducted last year in Australia and China similarly demonstrated concerning data about the increased risk of strokes and developing cardiovascular diseases.

UPFs have also been shown to impact the brain reward system in a way that causes addiction comparable to tobacco and alcohol. 

In some high-income countries, UPFs now make up more than half of all dietry intake.A global concern
The share of UPFs in the diets of high-income nations is growing increasingly large, with 58% and 42% of dietary energy in the US and Australia, respectively, being derived from such food products. Among high-income nations, the lowest UPF consumption is in Italy at 10% and South Korea at 25%.

In low and middle-income countries like Colombia and Mexico, the figures are 16% and 30%, respectively, with the report noting the danger of the growing availability of UPFs in nations across diverse economic levels of development. 

A WHO-backed study conducted last year monitored 266,666 participants from seven countries over 11.2 years to analyze their chance of developing heart disease, cancer or type 2 diabetes. It linked UPF consumption with increased multimorbidity risk, although it concluded that not all UPFs were associated with a higher risk. 

To address the issue, the European Institute of Innovation and Technology Food Consumer Observatory recently called for improved labels and consumer education on what is included in the definition of UPFs, noting that more research is needed to determine how such products affect short-term and long-term health. 

By Milana Nikolova