Eating higher levels of highly processed foods could shorten lifespans by at least 10 percent, concluded a study that analyzed more than 540,000 people. The study analyzed data provided by individuals who shared information about their eating habits and health issues, going back to the mid-1990s. People who had a “higher intake of ultra-processed foods” saw a “modest increases in death” from any cause as well as deaths from heart disease or diabetes, according to a news release issued on June 30.
The risk went up 15 percent for males and 14 percent for women, said the authors of the study, led by National Cancer Institute investigator Erikka Loftfield. No association for cancer-related deaths was found in the study. “Our study results support a larger body of literature .
.. which indicate that ultra-processed food intake adversely impacts health and longevity,” Ms.
Loftfield said in a press release. “However, there is still a lot that we don’t know, including what aspects of ultra-processed foods pose potential health risks.” In terms of ultra-processed foods that were linked to higher mortality rates, “We observed that highly processed meat and soft drinks were a couple of the subgroups of ultra-processed food most strongly associated with mortality risk and eating a diet low in these foods is already recommended for disease prevention and health promotion,” she added.
The researchers pointed to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans that suggest limiting.