A study from Florida Atlantic University, published in the American Journal of Medicine, examined the relationship between ultra-processed food consumption and cardiovascular disease risk. Researchers analyzed dietary data from 4,787 American adults collected through the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 2021 and 2023.
Ultra-processed foods are industrially manufactured products containing ingredients rarely used in home cooking, such as emulsifiers, hydrogenated oils, high-fructose corn syrup, and artificial preservatives. In the U.S., these foods account for about 60% of adult caloric intake and 70% of children's diets.
The key finding: participants who consumed the most ultra-processed foods had a 47% higher risk of heart attack or stroke compared to those who consumed the least. This association remained significant even after adjusting for other risk factors like age, BMI, smoking, diabetes, and income level.
However, the study has limitations. Dietary data came from a single 24-hour recall, which may not reflect typical eating habits. As an observational study, it cannot prove that ultra-processed foods directly cause heart disease. The NOVA classification system used to categorize foods also groups very different products together — from sugary sodas to fortified cereals — which some researchers see as a weakness.
The study contributes to growing evidence linking ultra-processed foods to poor health outcomes and supports calls for better food labeling and regulation.