What Health Conditions are Linked to Ultra-Processed Food?

What Health Conditions are Linked to Ultra-Processed Food?

A key concern about Ultra-Processed Food is that it is associated with a range of health conditions. This could be a huge problem in the future, as in the UK, it is estimated that Ultra-Processed Food makes up 57% of calories consumed by the average adult, and 65% for children. It is important to know what health conditions are linked to Ultra-Processed Food so that we can make more informed decisions about our diet.

A watercolour image of a female nurse looking kindly at an elderly female patient

What Health Conditions are Linked to Ultra-Processed Food?

Obesity

Obesity is when a person has excess body fat. According to the NHS, in the UK, around 25% of adults and 20% of children aged from 10 to 11 are living with obesity. The most common way of assessing whether a person is obese is through checking their Body Mass Index (BMI). With a BMI between 25-29.9, a person is overweight. With a BMI above 30, a person is obese. And with a BMI above 40, they are classed as being severely obese. This health condition is unlikely to be a surprise consequence of eating Ultra-Processed Food or eating too much of it.

Obesity is a problem as it can lead to:

  • increased strain on organs
  • hormonal imbalances
  • musculoskeletal problems
  • breathing difficulties

Research linking Ultra-Processed Food and obesity:

Hall KD, Ayuketah A, Brychta R, et al. Ultra-processed diets cause excess calorie intake and weight gain: an inpatient randomized controlled trial of ad libitum food intake. Cellular Metabolism 2019; 30: 67–77.

High Blood Pressure

High Blood Pressure (or hypertension) is where the force of blood pushing against your artery walls is consistently too high. According to the NHS, two readings need to be taken to measure blood pressure – systolic pressure, and diastolic pressure. As a general rule, a reading of 140/90mmHg or higher indicates high blood pressure. If blood pressure is too high, it places extra strain on blood vessels, the heart, the brain, kidneys, and eyes. This can lead to serious health problems including heart attacks, strokes, and heart failure.

Research linking Ultra-Processed Food and high blood pressure:

Barbosa, S.S.; Sousa, L.C.M.; de Oliveira Silva, D.F.; Pimentel, J.B.; Evangelista, K.; Lyra, C.O.; Lopes, M.; Lima, S. A Systematic Review on Processed/Ultra-Processed Foods and Arterial Hypertension in Adults and Older People. Nutrients 2022, 14, 1215.

Dementia

Dementia is a condition associated with an ongoing decline of brain functionality. The onset of dementia tends to occur later in life. According to NHS numbers, almost 950,000 people in the UK have dementia, and it is thought to affect 1 in 11 people over the age of 65.

According to the NHS, dementia symptoms can include problems with:

  • memory loss,
  • thinking speed
  • mental sharpness and quickness
  • language
  • understanding
  • judgment
  • mood
  • movement
  • doing daily activities

Research linking Ultra-Processed Food and Dementia:

Li H, Li S, Yang H, et al. Association of ultraprocessed food consumption with risk of dementia: a prospective cohort study. Neurology 2022; 99: e1056–66.

Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 Diabetes is a condition that causes excessive blood sugar levels. According to the NHS, symptoms include:

  • peeing more frequently
  • feeling thirsty all the time
  • feeling fatigue
  • weight loss
  • itching around the genitals
  • cuts or wounds taking longer than normal to heal
  • blurred vision

Type 2 diabetes can lead to heart disease, stroke, vision loss, and kidney problems.

Research linking Ultra-Processed Food and type 2 diabetes:

Llavero-Valero M, Martín JE-S, Martínez-González MA, et al. Ultra-processed foods and type-2 diabetes risk in the SUN project: a prospective cohort study. Clinical Nutrition 2021; 40: 2817–24.

Srour B, Fezeu LK, Kesse-Guyot E, et al. Ultraprocessed food consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes among participants of the NutriNet-Santé prospective cohort. JAMA Internal Medicine 2020; 180: 283–91.

Depression

Depression is a common mental health condition. According to the NHS, It is characterized by:

  • extended periods of feeling unhappiness and hopelessness
  • feeling very tearful
  • losing interest in things that you used to enjoy
  • feeling constantly tired
  • sleeping badly
  • having no appetite
  • having no sex drive
  • symptoms of anxiety

Research linking Ultra-Processed Food and Depression:

Gómez-Donoso C, Sánchez-Villegas A, Martínez-González MA, et al. Ultra-processed food consumption and the incidence of depression in a Mediterranean cohort: the SUN project. European Journal of Nutrition 2020; 59:1093–103.

Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is the most common kind of cancer in women in the UK. According to the NHS, the main symptoms are: 

  • a lump or swelling in the breast, chest or armpit
  • a change in the skin of the breast
  • a change in shape or size of the breast
  • nipple discharge
  • constant pain in the breast or armpit which does not go away

According to Cancer Research UK, the latest figures on their website show that between 2017-2019 the mortality rate from breast cancer was 33 per 100,000 people in the UK.

Research linking Ultra-Processed Food and Breast Cancer:

Fiolet T, Srour B, Sellem L, et al. Consumption of ultra-processed foods and cancer risk: results from NutriNet-Santé prospective cohort. British Medical Journal 2018; 360: k322.

Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s Disease

These two health conditions are related to digestion.

According to the NHS, Ulcerative Colitis is a health condition where the colon (large intestine) and the rectum become inflamed. Its main symptoms are:

  • Recurring diarrhoea – this can often contain blood, pus or mucus
  • Stomach pain
  • The need to poo frequently

According to the NHS, Crohn’s disease is a condition where parts of the digestive system become inflamed. Its main symptoms include:

  • Diarrhoea
  • Stomach aches and cramps
  • Blood in a person’s poo
  • Fatigue
  • Weight loss


Research linking Ultra-Processed Food and Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s Disease:

Narula N, Wong ECL, Dehghan M, et al. Association of ultra-processed food intake with risk of inflammatory bowel disease: prospective cohort study. British Medical Journal 2021; 374: n1554.

24 Lo C-H, Khandpur N, Rossato S, et al. Ultra-processed foods and risk of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis: a prospective cohort study. Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology 2022; 20: 1323–37.

Death

This health condition is relatively self-explanatory, and a major headache for food companies that produce Ultra-Processed Food. If your customers die, they aren’t going to be able to buy more of your products. The main symptom of death is that you are not alive anymore.

Research linking Ultra-Processed Food and Death:

Schnabel L, Kesse-Guyot E, Allés B, et al. Association between ultraprocessed food consumption and risk of mortality among middle-aged adults in France. JAMA Internal Medicine 2019; 179: 490–98.

Rico-Campá A, Martínez-González MA, Alvarez-Alvarez I, et al. Association between consumption of ultra-processed foods and all cause mortality: SUN prospective cohort study. British Medical Journal 2019; 365: 11949.

Kim H, Hu EA, Rebholz CM. Ultra-processed food intake and mortality in the USA: results from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III, 1988–1994). Public Health Nutrition 2019; 22: 1777–85.

Bonaccio M, Di Castelnuovo A, Costanzo S, et al. Ultra-processed food consumption is associated with increased risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in the Moli-sani Study. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2021; 113: 446–55.

Chen X, Chu J, Hu W, et al. Associations of ultra-processed food consumption with cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality: UK Biobank. European Journal of Public Health 2022; 32: 779–85.

What Health Conditions are Linked to Ultra-Processed Food?

In conclusion, we can see that a vast array of health conditions are linked to Ultra-Processed Food. I think it is important however to make the distinction that evidence of Ultra-Processed Food being linked to these conditions is not the same as Ultra-Processed Food being a proven cause of these conditions. Further research from researchers brave enough to face the powerful food industry is needed. To maintain good health, I recommend following the advice of the NHS, which is to eat a healthy, balanced diet. We should aim to eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables every day, and try to avoid food high in fat, salt and sugar. I also recommend limiting your intake of Ultra-Processed Food. This article on how to eat less UPF has some great tips to help you get started.