The Study
Ultra-processed foods and cardiometabolic risk: from evidence to policy
This study looked at lots of other studies that watched what people ate and how healthy they were over time. It found that people who eat more ultra-processed foods tend to get sick more often, but it doesn’t prove that the food is the direct cause—maybe those people also exercise less or sleep worse.
Analysis score
Maximum 5 for a narrative review.
Where the score came from
This study shows that foods made in factories with lots of additives and sugar—like chips, soda, and frozen meals—make you eat more and gain weight faster than whole foods, even if they have the same calories.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 52 / 100
Quality score
Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of cohort studies. They sit above a single cohort study but below a single randomized trial, because the underlying evidence is still observational.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes—eating just one extra snack or soda daily from UPFs could lead to 10+ lbs of weight gain in a year, and trans fats are as harmful as smoking for your heart.
- 2People on ultra-processed diets ate 500 extra calories a day and gained 0.9 kg in two weeks.
- 3Eating ultra-processed food faster led to 814 extra calories/day and 1.1 kg weight gain in one week.
- 4Trans fats increased heart disease risk by over 3% per 2.5% of daily energy.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Related Content
Claims (5)
About one-quarter of the American diet consists of ultra-processed foods with additives and flavor combinations that alter gut microbiota and lead to metabolic dysfunction.
When people eat ultra-processed foods instead of unprocessed foods under controlled conditions, they consume about 500 more calories per day and gain about 0.9 kilograms over two weeks, even when the protein, fat, carbs, fiber, salt, and sugar levels are the same.
People who eat more ultra-processed foods have a higher rate of obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and death from any cause compared to those who eat less.
Consuming industrial trans fats from partially hydrogenated oils increases the risk of ischemic heart disease by more than 3% for every 2.5% of daily calories derived from these fats, and they are among the strongest dietary factors linked to cardiovascular disease.
People eat ultra-processed foods faster than unprocessed foods, and this faster eating leads to consuming 814 more calories per day and gaining 1.1 kilograms in one week.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.