Eating too much ultra-processed food (UPF) may increase your risk of dying early, according to a study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Researchers from Brazil and other countries studied data from eight nations, including the UK and the US, and found a strong link between UPF and premature death.
What Are Ultra-Processed Foods?
Food manufacturers make UPF using ingredients that people don’t usually use at home. These include artificial colours, sweeteners, flavourings, preservatives, emulsifiers, and other additives that improve appearance, shelf life, or taste.
Examples include:
UPF often contain five or more ingredients and little to no whole food content.
What Did Researchers Find?
The researchers reviewed previous studies and estimated how UPF might affect death rates. In countries like the UK and the US, where people get over 50% of their calories from UPF, they linked UPF to around 14% of early deaths. In contrast, in countries like Colombia and Brazil, where people eat fewer UPF (under 20% of daily calories), they linked UPF to about 4% of early deaths. In 2018 alone, researchers estimated that UPF contributed to about 124,000 early deaths in the US and nearly 18,000 in the UK.
Why Might UPF Be Harmful?
Dr Eduardo Nilson, who led the study, believes UPF harms health because manufacturers change the food structure during processing and add artificial ingredients. These foods often contain high amounts of fat, salt, and sugar, which can raise the risk of obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers. Still, the study did not prove that UPF directly cause early death. The researchers pointed out that factors like overall diet, exercise, income, and lifestyle can also affect health.
What Do Other Experts Say?
Dr Nerys Astbury from Oxford University said many UPF harm health simply because they contain too much fat, sugar, or calories. She added that researchers haven’t clearly shown whether the processing itself or the added ingredients cause health problems. Prof Kevin McConway from the Open University said the study made several assumptions and warned against drawing strong conclusions. He emphasised that scientists still don’t know exactly what part of UPF causes harm, or whether the UPF themselves are to blame at all. Dr Stephen Burgess from Cambridge University agreed that physical activity and overall lifestyle might play a bigger role. However, he noted that similar results from many countries suggest UPF could play more than a minor role in poor health.
What Does the Food Industry Say?
The Food and Drink Federation, which represents food manufacturers, said the term “ultra-processed” unfairly includes foods like yoghurt, bread, and pasta sauces—items that can be part of a healthy diet. They pointed out that food safety authorities approve all additives and ensure they are safe to eat. The Consumer Brands Association added that discouraging UPF could reduce access to affordable, shelf-stable foods, especially for lower-income groups. They warned this could lead to more food insecurity and health inequality.
Why Does This Matter?
UPF now make up about 60% of the average adult’s diet in the US and a significant share in other countries too. Even a 10% increase in UPF calories could raise the risk of early death by nearly 3%, according to the study’s calculations. Although the study can’t prove cause and effect, many health experts recommend cutting back on ultra-processed foods. Choosing fresh, whole foods more often may help protect your long-term health.