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Ultra-processed foods linked to over 30 health issues, from diabetes to heart trouble to cancer, research finds
Who hasn’t been tempted by supermarket aisles full of cookies, chips and other snackable treats, or lured by the ease of prepackaged meals? But those highly processed foods come at a cost to your health. Consistent evidence shows diets high in ultra-processed food are associated with an increased risk of 32 damaging health outcomes, according to a new review of 45 meta-analyses.
The research, published in The BMJ journal Wednesday, found higher exposure to these foods can be harmful to health in a variety of ways, including higher risk for cancer, major heart and lung conditions, gastrointestinal issues, obesity, type 2 diabetes, sleep issues, mental health disorders and early death.
Ultra-processed foods, which “undergo multiple industrial processes and often contain colors, emulsifiers, flavors, and other additives,” a news release explains, include products such as:
- Packaged baked goods and snacks
- Carbonated soft drinks
- Sugary cereals
- Instant noodles
- Other ready-to-eat or ready-to-heat meals
“These products also tend to be high in added sugar, fat, and/or salt, but are low in vitamins and (fiber),” the release notes.
Just how much do these foods increase your health risk? It depends. The authors organized their findings based on the strength of evidence for different issues.
For example, they found “convincing” evidence that higher intake of ultra-processed foods was associated with 50% increased risk of cardiovascular disease-related death, a 48% to 53% higher risk of anxiety and common mental disorders, and a 12% greater risk of type 2 diabetes. “Highly suggestive” evidence indicated a 21% greater risk of death from any cause; a 40% to 66% increased risk of heart disease-related death, obesity, type 2 diabetes and sleep problems; and a 22% increased risk of depression.
However, evidence of a potential connection to asthma and gastrointestinal health, for example — while still showing a association between ultra-processed foods and adverse health outcomes — remains more limited.
Previous research has pointed to the negative health affects and addictive quality of processed foods, but this research provides a broad review of evidence in this area by incorporating the findings of dozens of studies all published in the past three years with nearly 10 million participants total.
“Undertaking such a comprehensive review has the potential to enhance our understanding of these associations and provide valuable insights for better informing public health policies and strategies,” the authors write.
The findings could also serve as a wake-up call for consumers in the United States and other high-income countries, where ultra-processed foods account for up to 58% of total daily calorie consumption, the review points out.
“Notably, over recent decades, the availability and variety of ultra-processed products sold has substantially and rapidly increased in countries across diverse economic development levels,” the authors write.
They urge officials to prioritize public health through steps like front-of-the-pack food labels and economic policies that make fresh and minimally-processed foods more accessible and affordable.
NEW YORK — Former New York Gov. David Paterson and his stepson were attacked in New York City on Friday night, authorities said.
The incident occurred just before 9 p.m. on Second Avenue near East 96th Street on the Upper East Side, according to the New York City Police Department.
Police said officers were sent to the scene after an assault was reported. When officers arrived, police say they found a 20-year-old man suffering from facial injuries and a 70-year-old man who had head pain. Both victims were taken to a local hospital in stable condition.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the former governor said the two were attacked while “taking a walk around the block near their home by some individuals that had a previous interaction with his stepson.”
The spokesperson said that they were injured “but were able to fight off their attackers.”
Both were taken to Cornell Hospital “as a precaution,” he added.
Police said no arrests have been made and the investigation is ongoing.
The 70-year-old Paterson, a Democrat, served as governor from 2008 to 2010, stepping into the post after the resignation of Eliot Spitzer following his prostitution scandal. He made history at the time as the state’s first-ever Black and legally blind governor.
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A 17-year-old boy was critically injured and a person is in custody after a gunman opened fire on a SEPTA bus in North Philadelphia Friday evening, police said.
At around 6:15 p.m., Philadelphia police were notified about a shooting on a SEPTA bus traveling on Allegheny Avenue near 3rd and 4th streets in North Philadelphia, Inspector D F Pace told CBS News Philadelphia.
There were an estimated 30 people on the bus at the time of the shooting, Pace said, but only the 17-year-old boy was believed to have been shot. Investigators said they believe it was a targeted attack on the teenager and that he was shot in the back of the bus at close range.
According to Pace, the SEPTA bus driver alerted a control center about the shooting, which then relayed the message to Philadelphia police, who responded to the scene shortly.
Officers arrived at the scene and found at least one spent shell casing and blood on the bus, but no shooting victim, Pace said. Investigators later discovered the 17-year-old had been taken to Temple University Hospital where he is said to be in critical condition, according to police.
CBS Philadelphia
Through their preliminary investigation, police learned those involved in the SEPTA shooting may have fled in a silver-colored Kia.
Authorities then found a car matching the description of the Kia speeding in the area and a pursuit began, Pace said. Police got help from a PPD helicopter as they followed the Kia, which ended up crashing at 5th and Greenwood streets in East Mount Airy. Pace said the Kia crashed into a parked car.
The driver of the crashed car ran away but police were still able to take them into custody, Pace said.
Investigators believe there was a second person involved in the shooting who ran from the car before it crashed. Police said they believe this person escaped near Allegheny Avenue and 4th Street, leaving a coat behind.
According to Pace, police also found a gun and a group of spent shell casings believed to be involved in the shooting in the same area.
“It’s very possible that there may have been a shooting inside the bus and also shots fired from outside of the bus toward the bus,” Pace said, “We’re still trying to piece all that together at this time.”
This is an active investigation and police are reviewing surveillance footage from the SEPTA bus.