Ultra-processed food increases risk of early death, international study finds

Consuming large amounts of ultra-processed food (UPF) increases the risk of an early death, according to a international study that has reignited calls for a crackdown on UPF. The authors found “a linear dose-response association between the ultraprocessed food consumption and all-cause mortality” when they examined official surveys previously undertaken in the UK and US, as well as Australia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Chile and Mexico. “Premature deaths attributable to consumptions of ultraprocessed foods increase significantly according to their share in individuals’ total energy intake. However, they found an association between UPF and early death, not that one definitely causes the other. “We are also commissioning research to improve the evidence on the health impacts of ultra-processed foods.