Even in moderation, consumption of ultra-processed foods is linked with measurable increases in risk for chronic diseases such as diabetes and cancers, according to research.
The study showed that low but regular intake of processed meat, sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), and trans fatty acids (TFAs) can increase the risk of diseases like Type 2 diabetes, ischemic heart disease (IHD), and colorectal cancer.
While the risks have long been known, systematic characterisation of the dose-response relationships between these foods and health outcomes is limited, said the researchers from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington.
In a paper published in the journal Nature Medicine, the team demonstrated that consuming processed meat in amounts ranging from 0.6 grams to 57 grams daily can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes by at least 11 percent compared to no consumption.
For colorectal cancer, the risk was 7 per cent higher for consumption between 0.78 grams per day and 55 grams per day. The relative risk of IHD was estimated at 1.15 at 50 grams per day intake.
Further, an intake of sugar-sweetened beverages between 1.5 and 390 grams daily was found to raise the average risk of type 2 diabetes by 8 per cent.
Intake between 0 and 365 grams per day was associated with a 2 per cent higher average risk of IHD.
“The new analysis supports dietary guidelines to reduce the consumption of processed meat, sugar-sweetened beverages and trans-fatty acids — highlighting the need for a collaborative, meticulous health assessment framework for ultra-processed foods,” said the researchers in the paper.
The findings showed that the risk increased continuously at every level of consumption, with the steepest increases occurring at low habitual intake, approximately equivalent to one serving or less daily.
Several previous studies have linked ultra-processed foods, particularly processed meats, sugar-sweetened beverages, and trans fatty acids, with elevated chronic disease risks.
Estimates suggest that diets high in processed meat contributed to nearly 300,000 deaths worldwide in 2021, while diets rich in sugar-sweetened beverages and trans fats accounted for millions of disability-adjusted life years.
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It is because processed meats preserved through smoking, curing, or chemical additives often contain compounds such as N-nitroso agents, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and heterocyclic amines — compounds implicated in tumour development, explained the researchers.
