From takeout to Tupperware, scientists continue to find that seemingly harmless kitchen habits could actually be quietly harming your health.
The latest culprit? One especially popular type of food that, despite its convenience and craveability, is now linked to hundreds of thousands of premature deaths in the U.S. every year—and may be cutting your life short without you even realizing it.
Published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, the new study—conducted by a global team of public health and nutrition researchers from Brazil, Canada, Mexico, the U.S., Chile and beyond—examined just how much this type of food increases the risk of premature death. The team also set out to estimate how many deaths in eight countries could be linked to overconsumption of it.
After analyzing data from seven large observational studies tracking 239,982 people and 14,779 deaths, the researchers calculated how each 10% increase in this food as a share of daily calories impacted the risk of death. They then used a modeling method to estimate how many premature deaths (ages 30 to 69) per year in each country could be attributed to this food type.
The Popular Food Type That's Linked to 124,000 U.S. Deaths Every Year
The food type in question? I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but it's ultra-processed foods (UPFs).
According to the research, every 10% increase in ultra-processed food intake raises the risk of dying early from any cause by 2.7%. If that doesn’t sound like much, here’s some perspective: If you eat 2,000 calories a day, that’s just 200 calories worth of ultra-processed food—which adds up fast.
Translation? A soda, a snack bar or even a small frozen meal can easily push you past that 10% threshold. Add a few more processed items—say, cereal for breakfast, a packaged sandwich for lunch and takeout for dinner—and suddenly 30%, 40% or even 50% of your daily calories are coming from UPFs—along with the rising risk of premature death.
Perhaps even more shocking? In countries like the U.S. and U.K.—where UPFs make up more than half of the average daily calorie intake—an estimated 13.7% to 13.8% of all premature deaths are linked to eating these foods. That’s equal to about 124,000 deaths per year in the U.S. alone.
By contrast, in countries with lower UPF consumption—like Colombia and Brazil—that number drops to just 3.9% to 4.5%.
What Does This Mean for Me?
If ultra-processed foods make up a large part of your diet—think packaged snacks, sodas, frozen meals, fast food or artificially flavored cereals—this study suggests you could be increasing your risk of dying younger. And the researchers want you (and the public) to take it seriously.
“Our findings support that ultra-processed food intake contributes significantly to the overall burden of disease in many countries, and its reduction should be included in national dietary guidelines and addressed in public policies," the authors wrote. “Reducing ultra-processed food intake requires multiple interventions, including better food labeling, healthier school meals and taxes or restrictions on ultra-processed foods.”
This might sound like an outlandish plan—but researchers have already pulled it off. In a recent study from Drexel University, participants were able to cut their ultra-processed food intake in half over just eight weeks—and as a result, lost nearly eight pounds, ate 600 fewer calories per day and reported fewer cravings, better moods, more energy and less swelling in their hands and feet.
Support matters
The Drexel University study didn’t rely on restriction alone. Instead, the women enrolled received daily support: nutrition education, meal planning guidance, gift cards for healthier groceries and even help getting their families on board. Over time, their taste buds—and habits—adjusted.
That just goes to show that you don’t have to overhaul your entire diet overnight. By cutting back on ultra-processed foods, even just a little, can make a measurable difference. And the more help you have, the easier it gets. Whether it’s swapping meal ideas with a friend, asking your family to get involved or simply stocking up on a few nutritious staples each week, small shifts add up—especially when you’re not doing it alone.
Because yes, ultra-processed foods are everywhere. And convenient. And delicious! But that doesn’t mean they have to make up most of what you eat.