What are you eating? Ultra-processed foods linked to early deaths, study warns

A major new study links ultra-processed foods to significant premature deaths in eight countries, calling for urgent global action to reduce UPF consumption through regulatory and fiscal policies to protect public health.

Groundbreaking study across nations

A landmark international study has found that ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are significantly contributing to premature deaths across multiple countries, reinforcing urgent calls for global policy action to reduce consumption of these industrially manufactured products.

Study published in top journal

Published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine by Elsevier, the study analyzed data from eight countries—Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, the United Kingdom, and the United States. It used nationally representative dietary surveys and mortality data to estimate the burden of all-cause mortality linked to UPF consumption. The findings reveal that the greater the proportion of daily energy intake from UPFs, the higher the associated risk of early death.

What are UPFs?

UPFs are industrial formulations made mostly from ingredients derived from food or synthesized in labs. These products are designed to be convenient, long-lasting, and hyper-palatable, often containing additives like artificial flavors, colorants, sweeteners, emulsifiers, and preservatives. They typically include items such as packaged snacks, soft drinks, reconstituted meat products, instant noodles, and sweetened breakfast cereals. With little to no whole food content, UPFs have increasingly displaced traditional diets rich in fresh and minimally processed ingredients.

Lead researcher’s warning

The study's lead investigator, Dr. Eduardo Augusto Fernandes Nilson from the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz) in Brazil, emphasized that the health harms of UPFs go beyond their excessive levels of salt, sugar, and unhealthy fats. "UPFs affect health beyond the individual impact of high content of critical nutrients 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," Nilson said.

Scope and methodology

While previous research often focused on specific dietary risks such as high sugar or salt intake, this study is among the first to estimate all-cause mortality directly attributable to UPF consumption. It found that high intake of UPFs is associated with 32 diseases, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, certain cancers, and even mental health conditions like depression.

Consistent risk worldwide

The analysis shows that UPF consumption is a significant contributor to early deaths in all eight countries examined, regardless of income level or region. This underlines the global relevance of the issue and the urgent need for regulatory and fiscal interventions, such as front-of-package warning labels, taxation on UPFs, and restrictions on advertising—particularly to children.

Call for urgent action

The authors conclude that curbing UPF intake should be a top public health priority worldwide, with governments playing a key role in shaping healthier food environments through policy and education.