A single extra 3.5-ounce serving of ultra-processed food each day is linked to a higher risk of chronic disease, according to a large-scale analysis published Sept. 22 in the journal Family Medicine and Community Health.
The study examined nearly 8.8 million adults across studies conducted in the Americas, Europe, Asia and Oceania, with follow-up periods ranging from two to 32 years.
Researchers found that for every additional 100 grams of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) consumed daily, there was an association with a 14% higher risk of cardiovascular events, a 4% higher risk of cancer, a 3% higher risk of death from any cause, and a 2% higher risk of metabolic syndrome or diabetes, according to a news release.
For reference, 100 grams is roughly the size of a 3.5-ounce bag of corn chips, a small box of candy, or a single-serve cup of mini cookies. UPFs are generally packaged, convenient products made through extensive industrial processing and often loaded with additives — including sugary drinks, processed meats, packaged snacks and candy.
People with the highest intake of these foods also showed elevated risks of digestive diseases, depression or anxiety, obesity, cancer and cardiovascular events compared with those who consumed the least.
The research team, led by Xiao Liu, a cardiologist at Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital in China and a research fellow at Duke-NUS Medical School in Singapore, wrote that because UPF-related chronic diseases often occur together in the same patients, cutting back on these foods in favor of minimally processed alternatives could matter for both preventing chronic disease and managing it in primary care.
Kelly Springer, a New York-based registered dietitian and founder of Kelly’s Choice who was not involved in the study, said the core problem is what these foods displace rather than the foods themselves.
“It’s not that you can never eat them again,” Springer said. “It’s the fact that we are not getting real foods — real foods like fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, whole grains.”
Rather than telling people to simply eliminate certain foods, Springer said she recommends adding protein and fiber to meals and snacks — pairing an apple with peanut butter, nuts with cucumbers, or building meals around beans, chicken or tuna alongside fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
“A diet built around whole, minimally processed foods is one of the best investments we can make in our long-term health,” she added.
Springer also cautioned that the study was observational, meaning it cannot prove that UPFs directly cause the health problems identified. The research relied on participants’ self-reported diets and may not fully account for other lifestyle factors that could influence the results. Still, she said the findings offer useful information for individuals weighing their own dietary choices.
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