Are ultra-processed foods bad for your health?
Ultra-Processed Foods and Human Health: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
The way scientists measure diet changes the health risk by over 50%, but the actual amount of UPF eaten doesn’t change the outcome much.
Most people assume higher intake = higher risk, but here, methodology sways results more than consumption level—exposing a major flaw in nutritional research.
Practical Takeaways
Replace one ultra-processed meal a day with a whole-food alternative—like swapping sugary cereal for oatmeal with fruit.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
The way scientists measure diet changes the health risk by over 50%, but the actual amount of UPF eaten doesn’t change the outcome much.
Most people assume higher intake = higher risk, but here, methodology sways results more than consumption level—exposing a major flaw in nutritional research.
Practical Takeaways
Replace one ultra-processed meal a day with a whole-food alternative—like swapping sugary cereal for oatmeal with fruit.
Publication
Journal
Advances in Nutrition
Year
2023
Authors
M. Vitale, G. Costabile, R. Testa, Giovanna D’Abbronzo, I. C. Nettore, P. Macchia, R. Giacco
Related Content
Claims (6)
Eating a lot of ultra-processed foods, like packaged snacks and sugary drinks, might increase your chances of getting high blood pressure by about a third, according to several long-term studies in adults.
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 ultra-processed foods can raise your blood pressure because the salt in them makes your body hold onto more fluid, and the sugar causes your insulin levels to spike — together, these push your blood pressure up 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.
Eating a lot of ultra-processed foods, like packaged snacks and sugary drinks, might increase your chances of having unhealthy blood fats — specifically high triglycerides and low 'good' cholesterol — according to several long-term studies in adults.