Diet High in Processed Foods Increases Risk for Early Death

A diet high in ultraprocessed foods, defined as "ready-to-eat or -heat formulations ... usually combined with additives," increases your risk of early death from heart disease and other conditions, according to research published in JAMA Internal Medicine. Researchers followed the diets of 44,551 participants and tracked mortality rates. A 10 percent increase in consumption of ultraprocessed foods increased salt, sugar, and saturated fat intake and decreased fiber intake, leading to a 14 percent increased risk of death from hypertension, cancer, obesity, and dyslipidemia. The authors suspect the unhealthful components and exposure to carcinogens from processed meat often found in ultraprocessed foods as possible mechanisms for the increased risk.