Study links ultra-processed foods to premature deaths

28 April 2025

A study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine has linked the consumption of ultra-process foods to premature mortality.

Previous studies have consistently found an association between high consumption of ultraprocessed foods and increased risk of several noncommunicable diseases (NCDs).

The study aimed to estimate the risk of all-cause mortality in 8 countries with different levels of UPF consumption: Brazil and Colombia (low), Chile and Mexico (intermediate), and Australia, Canda, the UK, and the US, where consumption levels are high and UPFs alone account for more than half of calorie intake.

The study found a linear association between the ultra-processed food consumption and all-cause mortality, ranging from 4% to 14% of premature deaths, depending on the consumption levels of UPFs in the different countries.

This study adds to the evidence of negative health impacts caused by UPF intake.

Many UPFs are also high in fat, salt, and sugar, making for a specially unhealthy combination.

These findings highlight that adherence to ultra-processed dietary pattern represents a relevant public health concern in middle- and high-income countries, supporting the need for decisive public policy, through regulatory and fiscal policies.

“National dietary guidelines of the 21st century must consider the purpose and extent of industrial processing of foods in their recommendations and the body of existing evidence on UPFs and human health”, the study concludes.