Diet has far-reaching effects on our health, and this goes both ways. Some foods can significantly benefit our health, while others increase the risk of illness and even the risk of premature death.
In a current study, an international research team has now examined the connection between the consumption of ultra-processed foods, which are considered particularly unhealthy, and all-cause mortality as well as cause-specific mortality. The results are published in the specialist magazine “BMJ”.
What are ultra-processed foods?
Ultra-processed foods include packaged baked goods and snacks, carbonated drinks, sugary cereals and ready-to-eat or heated products, the researchers explain.
The foods in question often contain colorings, emulsifiers, flavors and other additives and are typically rich in energy, added sugar, saturated fatty acids and salt, but lack vitamins and fiber, the experts continued.
Reduced life expectancy?
Previous studies have linked ultra-processed foods to widespread health consequences, and earlier this year researchers at Florida Atlantic University concluded in a study that these foods can reduce life expectancy.
There is growing evidence that ultra-processed foods are linked to a higher risk of obesity, heart disease, diabetes and colorectal cancer, but few long-term studies have examined associations with all-cause mortality and specific deaths, the research team reports.
Using data from 74,563 female nurses from the Nurses' Health Study (1984-2018) and from 39,501 male health professionals from the Health Professionals Follow-up, the researchers now tried to limit the effects of ultra-processed foods on life expectancy.
Every two years, the participants provided information about their health and lifestyle habits and every four years they filled out a detailed nutritional questionnaire, the researchers explain. In addition to individual foods, the general nutritional quality was also recorded using the Alternative Healthy Eating Index-2010.
According to the researchers, during an average follow-up period of 34 years, 48,193 deaths occurred, including 13,557 cancer deaths, 11,416 deaths due to cardiovascular diseases, 3,926 deaths due to respiratory diseases and 6,343 deaths due to neurodegenerative diseases.
Increased risk of early death
When compared with the consumption of ultra-processed foods, it was found that participants in the lowest quarter of consumption of these foods (an average of 3 servings per day) had a four percent higher risk of all-cause mortality compared to those in the highest quarter (an average of 7 servings per day). had.
For example, while there was an eight percent increased risk of deaths due to neurodegenerative diseases, the researchers were unable to find any connections with the consumption of ultra-processed foods for cardiovascular diseases, cancer and respiratory diseases.
Some foods are particularly harmful
There were also differences in the effects of different ultra-processed foods. Ready-to-eat meat, poultry and seafood-based products, sugary drinks, dairy-based desserts and highly processed breakfast foods showed the strongest associations with the risk of death.
According to the researchers, it is not necessary to limit the consumption of all ultra-processed foods in order to reduce the risk of early death, but rather it is important to avoid certain types of these foods. What exactly these are needs to be determined more specifically in further studies. (fp)
