Key Takeaway:
- Higher ultra-processed food intake was linked to greater risks of chronic diseases and death.
- Every additional 100 grams per day was associated with higher risks of cardiovascular events, cancer, death and metabolic syndrome/diabetes.
- Researchers stressed that the findings show associations, not direct cause and effect.
A pooled analysis of 51 studies involving 8.8 million people links higher ultra-processed food intake with greater risks of chronic diseases and death.
Researchers Analyze Millions Of Participants
The analysis, published in the open access journal Family Medicine and Community Health, examines prospective cohort studies published through April 2026. Researchers drew data from studies conducted across the Americas, Europe, Asia and Oceania.
The 51 studies included 8,819,894 participants ages 23 to 77. Follow-up periods ranged from two to 32 years.
Researchers assessed ultra-processed food intake using food frequency questionnaires, 24-hour dietary recalls or dietary histories. They then converted reported intake into grams per day and evaluated associations between consumption and long-term health outcomes.
Ultra-processed foods generally include ready-to-eat or heat-and-serve products that undergo extensive industrial processing. The researchers say these foods commonly contain additives and high amounts of energy, sugar and salt while providing relatively little dietary fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals.
Higher Intake Tracks With Greater Health Risks
The pooled analysis found that higher ultra-processed food consumption was associated with increased risks across several health outcomes.
Compared with lower consumption, higher intake was associated with a 24% greater risk of cardiovascular events and a 24% greater risk of metabolic syndrome or diabetes. The analysis also found associations with digestive diseases, depression and anxiety, obesity or overweight, cancer, high blood pressure and death from any cause.
The reported increases were 31% for digestive diseases, 27% for depression or anxiety, 23% for obesity or overweight, 18% for death from any cause, 12% for cancer and 11% for high blood pressure.
The researchers also found that risk increased as consumption rose. Each additional 100 grams of ultra-processed food consumed per day was associated 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.
Every 10% increase in weight or energy intake was associated with a 16% higher risk of metabolic syndrome or diabetes.
Researchers Cite Processing And Lifestyle Factors
The researchers said laboratory and emerging evidence offers several possible explanations for the observed associations. These include potential effects of food processing on the gut microbiome, inflammation and insulin resistance, as well as compounds that can form during heating and processing.
They also noted that combinations of additives could potentially affect health, although the pooled analysis itself does not establish that these mechanisms caused the observed outcomes.
The researchers acknowledged important limitations. All included studies relied on subjective dietary assessments, and participants younger than 18 were excluded.
They also said ultra-processed food consumption can occur alongside broader lifestyle and behavioral patterns that are difficult to fully account for and could affect long-term health outcomes.
“Reducing consumption of UPFs and replacing them with minimally processed alternatives may be relevant for chronic disease prevention and primary care management,” the researchers concluded.
The findings show associations between ultra-processed food intake and health outcomes but do not establish that ultra-processed foods directly cause the diseases or deaths observed.
