People who already have kidney problems or are older are more likely to be harmed by eating ultra-processed foods than healthy younger people.

Eating lots of ultra-processed foods is linked to having several chronic diseases at once, feeling weaker, living with less quality of life, and having long-lasting body damage — especially in older people.

Eating a lot of highly processed foods like chips, sugary snacks, and frozen meals is linked to a higher chance of developing heart, kidney, and metabolism problems, and even dying sooner.

How researchers measure what people eat—like using a food survey vs. asking about one day’s meals—can change how risky ultra-processed foods seem by over 50%. The method used really affects the results.

Eating a lot of ultra-processed foods, like packaged snacks and sugary drinks, is linked to a higher chance of becoming obese — about one-third more likely — based on data from hundreds of thousands of adults followed over time.

Eating a lot of ultra-processed foods, like packaged snacks and sugary drinks, might increase your chances of getting type 2 diabetes by about 37% over time.