Extra Ultra-Processed Foods Daily Raise Chronic Disease Risks

Just an extra 3½ ounces of ultra-processed foods each day tied into a higher risk of chronic illness, says a massive new analysis. The study dropped on Sept. 22 in the journal Family Medicine and Community Health. It tracked data from nearly 8.8 million adults across studies spanning the Americas, Europe, Asia and Oceania. Follow-up periods stretched anywhere from two to 32 years.

For every additional 100 grams of UPFs eaten daily, researchers saw a link to a 14% higher risk of cardiovascular events, a 4% jump in cancer risk, a 3% rise in death from any cause, and a 2% increase in metabolic syndrome or diabetes risks, according to the news release. One hundred grams roughly equals a 3½-ounce bag of corn chips, a small candy box, or one single-serve cup of mini cookies.

People eating the most UPFs also faced greater odds of digestive diseases, depression, anxiety, obesity, cancer and heart issues compared with those consuming the least.

"Given that UPF-related chronic diseases often cluster as multimorbidity, reducing consumption of UPFs and replacing them with minimally processed alternatives may be relevant for chronic disease prevention and primary care management," wrote the researchers. The team was led by Xiao Liu, a cardiologist at Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital in China and a research fellow at Duke-NUS Medical School in Singapore.

"A diet built around whole, minimally processed foods is one of the best investments we can make in our long-term health." These items tend to push out nutrient-dense choices, according to Kelly Springer, a New York-based registered dietitian who founded Kelly's Choice. She was not involved in this specific research but spoke to Fox News Digital about the findings.

"It's not that you can never eat them again," Springer said. "It's the fact that we are not getting real foods, real foods like fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, whole grains." Instead of just taking things away, she suggested adding protein and fiber to meals and snacks. Think an apple with peanut butter or nuts with cucumbers. Build plates around beans, chicken or tuna alongside fresh produce and whole grains.

"A diet built around whole, minimally processed foods is one of the best investments we can make in our long-term health," she added. Springer did note the study was observational, meaning it cannot prove UPFs directly caused these poor health outcomes on their own. It also relied on self-reported diets and might miss other lifestyle factors at play.

Still, the study teaches people about the connection between ultra-processed foods and chronic disease, she said. Fox News Digital reached out to the researchers for comment.