Story at-a-glance
- Eating ultraprocessed foods is a significant cause of premature death, according to researchers with the University of São Paulo in Brazil
- The study found about 57,000 premature deaths were due to the consumption of ultraprocessed foods in Brazil among 30- to 69-year-olds
- This amounted to 10.5% of all-cause premature deaths and 21.8% of premature deaths from noncommunicable diseases
- In Brazilian adults, ultraprocessed foods make up 13% to 21% of total energy intake; among Americans, ultraprocessed foods make up about 57% of daily calories, on average, leading the researchers to suggest premature deaths linked to the foods are likely even greater in the U.S.
- If the contribution of ultraprocessed foods to total caloric intake in Brazil were reduced by 10% to 50%, anywhere from 5,900 to 29,300 deaths could be prevented, annually
- Previous meta-analyses found that the more ultraprocessed foods consumed, the greater the risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer, along with all-cause mortality
Continue reading “Ultraprocessed Food Linked to Early Death”
