Approximately one in four deaths attributed to heart disease may be linked to the consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) such as crisps, biscuits, and ready meals, according to a study presented at the International Congress on Obesity in Mexico. The research, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, indicates that a substantial decrease in cardiovascular disease events and associated fatalities could be realized if intake of these foods is reduced.
UPFs, which include items like ice cream, processed meats, mass-produced bread, some breakfast cereals, and fizzy drinks, often contain additives like preservatives, emulsifiers, and artificial colors and flavors. In the UK, UPFs account for an average of 56% of daily calorie intake, a figure that rises to 68% among teenagers. These proportions are considerably higher than in countries like France and Italy.
Researchers from the University of Montreal analyzed Canadian patient data, focusing on cardiovascular diseases, including heart attacks and strokes, as well as related deaths and disability. Their analysis indicated that between 23% and 38% of all cardiovascular disease events in 2019 could be attributed to UPF consumption. This translates to an estimated 58,200 to 96,000 new cases of cardiovascular disease, along with 10,600 to 17,400 deaths, and disability for thousands of patients.
The study's findings suggest that a reduction in UPF consumption by 20% to 50% could have potentially prevented between 16,800 and 45,900 new cardiovascular disease cases and between 3,100 and 8,300 related deaths.
"These findings reinforce the need for clinical and public health interventions aimed at reducing UPF intake as a key component of cardiovascular disease prevention," the experts concluded. They emphasized the necessity of comprehensive structural measures, including food taxes, front-of-package labeling, marketing restrictions, and reformulation targets, to effect meaningful dietary change.
Maeva May, director of policy for the Stroke Association, noted that the research highlights how the food environment can influence cardiovascular risk. She added that while more understanding is needed regarding the role of processing itself, high levels of salt, sugar, and saturated fat in UPFs are known contributors to increased blood pressure and other stroke risk factors. May also stated that individuals should not be blamed for choices influenced by price, availability, and marketing, calling for government and industry action to make healthier options more accessible and affordable.
However, Professor Alberto Fiore of Abertay University cautioned that the study is based on modeling rather than clinical trials. He pointed out that the study uses a 2015 dietary snapshot and applies risk multipliers from other studies, leading to a wide range of uncertainty in the projected figures. Fiore also raised concerns about whether the study is measuring the independent effect of industrial processing or simply the harms associated with poor dietary patterns characterized by excess sugar, saturated fat, sodium, and low fiber, which are already well-established causes of cardiovascular disease. He noted that the study's findings on UPFs are heavily influenced by sugar-sweetened beverages and processed meats, whose harmfulness has long been understood based on their nutritional content alone.