Regular consumption of ultra-processed food is associated with an increased risk of 32 major health outcomes, including early death, cancer, mental health disorders, obesity, type 2 diabetes and respiratory, cardiovascular and gastrointestinal diseases.
Ultra-processed food includes packaged snacks, fizzy drinks, sugary cereals, instant noodles and ready-to-eat meals. These products undergo numerous industrial processes and often contain preservatives and additives like colours, emulsifiers and flavours. They also tend to be high in added sugar, saturated fat and salt, and low in fibre, vitamins and minerals. Ultra-processed food accounts for up to 58 per cent of total daily energy intake in some high-income countries, and its consumption has been rapidly increasing in many low- and middle-income countries.
For the Australian study published in The BMJ, researchers reviewed 14 articles published within the past three years involving almost 10 million participants. Overall, higher consumption of ultra-processed food is consistently associated with an increased risk of 32 adverse health outcomes, especially a 50 per cent increased risk of cardiovascular disease related death; a 48 per cent to 53 per cent higher risk of anxiety and common mental disorders; a 12 per cent greater risk of type 2 diabetes; 55 per cent increased risk of obesity; a 41 per cent increased risk of sleep problems; a 22 per cent increased risk of depression; and a 21 per cent greater risk of death from any cause.
