Study Links Ultraprocessed Foods to Increasing Premature Mortality Worldwide

Ultraprocessed Foods Linked to Rising Global Death Toll, Study Finds

Countries with the highest consumption of ultraprocessed foods (UPFs), such as the United States, are seeing a growing number of premature deaths tied to these products—up to 14% in some cases, according to new research. The findings underscore the urgent need for international policies that promote healthier, minimally processed diets to safeguard public health.

Key Highlights:

• UPF and Mortality Risk: A 10% increase in UPF consumption raises the risk of death from any cause by 3%.

• Global Burden: Nearly 14% of premature deaths in high-UPF-consuming nations are linked to these foods.

• Call to Action: Experts stress the need for global dietary policies supporting fresh, minimally processed food choices.

The study, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine and sourced from Elsevier, analyzed dietary and mortality data from eight countries: Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, the United Kingdom, and the United States. It found that the greater the share of UPFs in a person’s diet, the higher the likelihood of early death.

Ultraprocessed foods are industrially formulated products made with food extracts or synthetic ingredients, often containing little to no whole foods. These items—such as packaged snacks, sugary drinks, and ready-to-eat meals—have steadily replaced traditional meals made from fresh or minimally processed ingredients across much of the world.

"UPFs impact health not only due to high levels of harmful nutrients like sodium, sugars, and trans fats, but also because of the industrial processes and artificial additives used in their production," said lead researcher Dr. Eduardo Augusto Fernandes Nilson of Brazil’s Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz).

The study modeled national dietary intake data to quantify how much of a country’s mortality burden could be attributed to UPFs. In Colombia, where UPFs make up around 15% of total energy intake, the associated death rate was about 4%. In contrast, in the U.S., where over 50% of calories come from UPFs, approximately 124,000 premature deaths were linked to UPF consumption in 2018—close to 14% of all early deaths.

UPFs have been associated with 32 diseases, including cardiovascular disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, and mental health disorders like depression.

While high-income countries have maintained stable yet elevated UPF consumption levels for over a decade, low- and middle-income nations are experiencing rapid increases. This shift suggests that the global burden of disease related to UPFs is poised to worsen without intervention.

“This study is the first to estimate the toll of ultraprocessed food consumption on all-cause premature mortality across multiple countries,” said Dr. Nilson. “The results highlight the need for urgent, coordinated policies that reduce UPF intake and promote healthier, traditional diets rooted in local, minimally processed foods.”