A new international study found that increasing consumption of ultra-processed foods raises the risk of dying before age 75, with the highest death rates tied to countries like the U.S. and England.
Denis Campbell reports for The Guardian.
In short:
- Research across eight countries shows each 10% rise in ultra-processed food intake increases all-cause mortality risk by 3%.
- England and the United States had the highest proportions of early deaths linked to ultra-processed food consumption, with more than half their population's dietary energy coming from these foods.
- Scientists called for stricter food marketing regulations, taxes on ultra-processed foods, and bans on sales in schools and workplaces.
Key quote:
“UPFs affect health beyond the individual impact of high content of critical nutrients — sodium, trans fats and sugar — 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.”
— Eduardo Augusto Fernandes Nilson, lead investigator of the study at the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation
Why this matters:
The rapid rise of ultra-processed foods in global diets marks a profound shift in how people eat and live, with serious consequences for public health. These foods, heavily engineered with additives and preservatives, offer convenience but often at the cost of nutritional integrity. High consumption levels are linked to a broad range of chronic diseases, including cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular illnesses.
Particularly alarming is the mounting evidence that industrial food processing itself — not just excessive salt, sugar, and fat — may drive these health risks. In countries like the United States and England, where over half of daily calories come from ultra-processed products, this trend strains healthcare systems and threatens to shorten life expectancy. Meanwhile, low- and middle-income countries are seeing similar shifts as global food companies expand their reach, raising concerns about widening health disparities and an escalating global burden of diet-related diseases.
Read more:
- Op-ed: Untangling the causes of obesity
- This diet will likely keep you alive longer — and help the planet
- Op-ed: How the FDA ignores the law when approving new chemical additives to food
- Ultra-processed foods should have warning labels, nutritionist who coined the term say
