A diet rich in ultra-processed foods could lead to an increased, albeit moderate, risk of premature death, with some foods and drinks being more harmful to your health than others. This is indicated by a new US observational study, which lasted over 34 years and led by Harvard University, the results of which were published in the pages of the magazine Bmj.
The study in detail
To carry out the study, conducted by an international research team led by Mingyang Song, the scholars investigated the association between the risk of death from all causes and from specific causes, such as cancer, and high consumption of ultra foods. -tested on a sample of over 100 thousand people, with no history of cancer, cardiovascular disease or diabetes at the time of enrollment. Specifically, the research monitored, for an average follow-up of 34 years, the medical records and eating habits of 74 thousand American nurses and 39 thousand male healthcare professionals.
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The results
By comparing the available data with the causes of death to which the 40 thousand deaths recorded in the sample were traced, the researchers found that participants who ate at least 7 portions of ultra-processed foods per day ran a greater risk of approximately 4%. of premature death from any cause and a 9% greater risk of other deaths (including an 8% greater chance of neurodegenerative deaths), compared to those who consumed an average of 3 servings per day. However, no associations were found with early deaths from cancer, respiratory or heart disease. What matters most to counteract these risks “is the overall quality of a person’s diet,” noted research team coordinator Mingyan Son, a Harvard epidemiologist.
The most harmful ultra-processed foods for your health
The strongest associations were observed by researchers for convenience products made from ultra-processed meat, poultry and seafood, as well as sugary drinks, dairy-based desserts and highly processed breakfast foods.
Since this is an observational study, “it is not possible to draw definitive conclusions about cause and effect. But the findings provide support for limiting consumption of certain types of ultraprocessed foods for long-term health. Future studies are needed to improve the classification of ultra-processed foods and confirm our findings in other populations,” concluded the research team coordinator.
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