In a multinational study, researchers have found that diets high in ultraprocessed foods were associated with an increased risk of premature death in adults aged 30 to 69 years across 8 countries.
They estimated that up to 14% of early deaths in some nations were attributable to ultraprocessed food (UPF) consumption, based on dietary patterns and national health data.
The team conducted a dose-response meta-analysis using data from 7 prospective cohort studies, which included nearly 240,000 participants and more than 14,000 deaths. Each 10% increase in the proportion of UPFs in daily energy intake was linked to a 2.7% rise in all-cause mortality risk.
UPFs are industrially manufactured products that are composed largely of ingredients not typically used in home cooking. These foods often contain additives such as flavorings, colorings, emulsifiers, and preservatives. While convenient and low-cost, they tend to displace more nutritious, minimally processed foods.
Using relative risk estimates from the meta-analysis, researchers modeled the number of premature deaths that could be linked to UPF consumption in Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Chile, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. National dietary surveys and mortality statistics from the Global Burden of Disease database informed the analysis.
The impact was greatest in countries with the highest UPF intake. In the United States and United Kingdom—where UPFs made up more than 50% of total energy intake—13.7% and 13.8% of premature deaths, respectively, were attributed to these foods. These proportions corresponded to approximately 124,107 deaths in the U.S. and 17,781 in the U.K. annually.
In contrast, Colombia and Brazil had lower UPF consumption (15% and 17.4%, respectively) and lower estimated mortality burdens. Researchers attributed 3.9% of premature deaths in Colombia and 4.5% in Brazil to UPF intake.
Canada (43.7% UPF intake) and Australia (37.5% UPF intake) had intermediate levels of consumption, with 10.9% and 9.4% of premature deaths, respectively, linked to UPFs. In Mexico (24.9%) and Chile (22.8%), the estimated mortality ranged from 5.7% to 6.3%.
All dietary data were based on the most recent national nutrition surveys, and foods were categorized using the NOVA classification system. The analysis assumed a theoretical minimum risk level of 0% UPF intake to calculate population attributable fractions.
The study acknowledged limitations, including residual confounding in observational data and limited representation from some regions. Still, the findings indicated that even modest increases in UPF consumption could lead to substantial numbers of preventable premature deaths, particularly in countries where these products are a major part of the diet.
"These findings suggest that UPF consumption represents a relevant public health issue globally, and policy responses should reshape food systems to incentivize the consumption of fresh and minimally processed foods as well as culinary preparations and disincentivize UPFs," the study authors concluded, led by Eduardo A.F. Nilson, DSc, of the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation in Brazil. They suggested multiple strategies for intervention, including regulation of food marketing and sales of foods in school and work environments, dietary guidelines and front-of package nutritional labeling, subsidies for the production and sales of fresh food, and taxation of UPFs.
The authors declared no competing interests.
Source: American Journal of Preventive Medicine