A growing number of scientists are warning that eating large amounts of ultra processed foods may seriously harm heart health and increase the risk of early death.
A new report published in the European Heart Journal reviewed all major available research examining the connection between ultra processed foods and cardiovascular disease.
The findings suggest that people who regularly consume large amounts of these foods face significantly higher risks of obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and death linked to cardiovascular conditions.
Researchers say the evidence has now become strong enough that doctors should begin routinely discussing ultra processed food consumption with patients as part of normal healthcare.
The report was prepared by experts from the European Society of Cardiology’s Council for Cardiology Practice and the European Association of Preventive Cardiology.
The research team included scientists and doctors from several major European institutions, including the University of Insubria, the University of Milan, IRCCS Neuromed, and LUM University in Italy.
Ultra processed foods, often shortened to UPFs, are industrially manufactured foods that contain ingredients and additives rarely used in home cooking.
These foods are usually designed to be convenient, inexpensive, highly flavored, and long-lasting on store shelves.
Common examples include packaged snacks, sugary breakfast cereals, soft drinks, instant noodles, processed meats, frozen ready meals, fast food, sweetened yogurts, packaged desserts, and many highly processed breads and sauces.
Researchers say ultra processed foods have gradually replaced more traditional diets in many countries over recent decades.
Professor Luigina Guasti from the University of Insubria explained that research now strongly suggests UPFs contribute to several major cardiovascular risk factors.
According to the report, adults who consume the highest amounts of ultra processed foods may face up to a 19 percent higher risk of developing heart disease compared with people who consume the least.
The report also found a 13 percent higher risk of atrial fibrillation, a common heart rhythm disorder, and as much as a 65 percent higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease.
Scientists say UPFs are also strongly associated with obesity, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and unhealthy fat accumulation in the bloodstream.
The researchers are especially concerned because ultra processed food consumption continues increasing in many countries.
In the Netherlands, researchers estimate that around 61 percent of daily calories now come from ultra processed foods. In the United Kingdom, the figure is around 54 percent.
In contrast, countries that still maintain more traditional eating patterns, such as Italy, Portugal, and Spain, report much lower percentages.
The report also notes that many current dietary guidelines focus mainly on nutrients such as fat, sugar, salt, or calories without paying enough attention to the degree of food processing itself.
Scientists say this may overlook an important health factor.
Researchers believe UPFs may harm health through several different mechanisms.
These foods are often high in sugar, unhealthy fats, salt, and refined carbohydrates. At the same time, they may contain additives, preservatives, emulsifiers, artificial flavorings, colorings, and chemicals created during industrial processing.
Scientists suspect these ingredients and processing methods may trigger inflammation, disrupt metabolism, alter gut bacteria, encourage overeating, and negatively affect blood vessel health.
Dr. Marialaura Bonaccio from IRCCS Neuromed explained that the associations between ultra processed foods and heart disease appear biologically plausible and highly consistent across many different populations.
However, researchers also caution that most current studies are observational. This means scientists can identify strong links between UPFs and disease, but they cannot yet fully prove that ultra processed foods directly cause the health problems.
Long-term clinical trials are still needed to test whether reducing ultra processed food intake directly improves cardiovascular health over time.
Despite these limitations, the researchers believe the evidence is now strong enough to support practical public health advice.
The authors recommend that doctors begin asking patients specifically about ultra processed food intake during routine healthcare visits.
They also suggest governments and health organizations update dietary guidelines, improve food labeling, and increase public education about food processing.
Researchers emphasize that some foods marketed as “healthy” may still qualify as ultra processed foods even if they appear nutritious on the surface.
The scientists encourage people to focus more on whole or minimally processed foods such as vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, fish, eggs, whole grains, and freshly prepared meals.
The report also highlights an important shift in nutrition science. For many years, nutrition advice focused mainly on nutrients like fat, sugar, or calories. Researchers now believe the way food is processed may itself play a major role in long-term health.
Overall, the report provides strong evidence that reducing ultra processed food consumption may help lower the risk of heart disease and improve overall health.
At the same time, the researchers stress that more long-term studies are still needed to better understand exactly how specific additives, industrial processing methods, and food structures affect the human body.
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The report was published in the European Heart Journal.
Source: European Society of Cardiology.
