The ill effects of eating processed foods have always been known. And picking up a burger or a ready-to-eat meal may be convenient, but it could increase chances of an early death, a new study warns. More than 44,000 adults in France, above the age of 45 participated in the for two years.
"Ultraprocessed foods are mostly consumed in the form of snacks, desserts, or ready-to-eat or -heat meals," and their consumption "has largely increased during the past several decades," wrote the authors of the study in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine.
It was found that additives, packaging and the processing itself (which includes extreme temperatures) can harm health.
Ultraprocessed foods accounted for more than 14 percent of the weight of total food consumed by the participants, and about 29 percent of their total calories. According to researchers, even 10 per cent increase in the amount of ultraprocessed foods could lead to a higher chance of early death.
"Some factors may be more harmful or less harmful than others. It's really too complex," said Nurgul Fitzgerald, associate professor, Department of Nutritional Sciences at Rutgers University. She also added that it was difficult to pinpoint what kind of ultraprocessed foods might be more of a health threat.
