Extra-processed foods and sugar-sweetened beverages are linked to a particularly increased risk of premature death from cardiovascular disease, according to a study from Lund University.
Ultra-processed food is food that has undergone extensive processing and contains a high proportion of added chemicals compared to “regular” processed food. This type of food is often cheap, heavily marketed and has become an increasingly important part of the Western diet in recent years.
In the study, published in Clinical Nutrition, researchers followed 27 670 participants from the Malmö Diet Cancer Study over 23 years, with funding from the Swedish Heart and Lung Foundation.
The results show that a high intake of highly processed foods and sugar-sweetened beverages is linked to an increased risk of premature death, death from cardiovascular disease and death from respiratory disease. There is an increased risk for women.
– Over-processed foods are often rich in salt, fat and added sugars, but often poor in fiber, vitamins and nutrients. Limiting intake can reduce the risk of premature death, says Emily Sonestedt, associate professor at Lund University and lead researcher of the study, in a press release.
Ultra-processed food is markedly different from what humans have been eating for thousands of years, but the long-term effects on health have yet to be studied in depth. However, links between this type of food have previously been made to depression and type 2 diabetes. At the same time, the researchers point out that more studies are needed on the subject.
– More research is needed to better understand how ultra-processed food affects the body. In future studies, we will be able to analyze current dietary data in the Swedish population and learn more about the relationship with cardiovascular disease, says Kristina Sparreljung, Secretary General of the Swedish Heart-Lung Foundation.
