A long-term study of over 500,000 adults shows that consuming more ultra-processed foods is linked to higher mortality rates, especially from heart disease and diabetes, underscoring the importance of dietary caution and further research. A recent study found that older adults consuming large quantities of ultra-processed foods, classified by the NOVA system, had a 10% higher risk of mortality over a median follow-up period of 23 years, compared to those who ate less processed foods. The findings are based on a large study that has tracked over half a million U.
S. adults for nearly three decades. According to the results, a higher intake of ultra-processed foods was associated with modest increases in death from any cause and from deaths related specifically to heart disease or diabetes, but no association was found for cancer-related deaths.
“Our study results support a larger body of literature, including both observational and experimental studies, which indicate that ultra-processed food intake adversely impacts health and longevity,” said Erikka Loftfield, PhD, Stadtman Investigator at the National Cancer Institute. “However, there is still a lot that we don’t know, including what aspects of ultra-processed foods pose potential health risks.” Loftfield presented the findings at NUTRITION 2024, the flagship annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition held June 29–July 2 in Chicago.
The research drew data from more than 540,000 people who provided info.