April 28, 2025 – Public health scientists have long warned about the health hazards of ultra-processed foods, products that have been highly processed, often containing additives and many ingredients – things like soda, packaged snacks, and frozen meals.
Now, a new global study suggests a diet high in these foods could shave years off your life.
Analyzing data from eight countries, including the United States, researchers uncovered several key findings.
1. Each 10% increase in ultra-processed food intake increases the risk of early death by 3%. ("Early death" means between the ages of 30 and 69.) Scientists call this type of finding a "linear, dose-response relationship." That means it works the opposite way, too. Your risk drops in an equal manner each time you choose a healthier option instead of an ultra-processed product.
2. Potentially 124,000 Americans die prematurely every two years due to ultra-processed food consumption. Why that matters: As people strive to eat healthier by reducing calories, fat, salt, or sugar, they may be doing so in a way that is still linked to early death – by simply switching to different ultra-processed foods. The new figures suggest that up to 2 out of every 100 people who die annually in the U.S. may have lived longer if their diet had contained fewer ultra-processed foods.
3. Ultra-processed foods increase the risk of dying from anything, not just a specific disease. This finding stands out because it goes beyond previous research linking ultra-processed foods with chronic conditions like obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and depression – it ties these foods directly to the risk of early death.
4. People in the U.S. eat more than 50% of daily calories from ultra-processed foods. These foods make up 70% of products in the average grocery store, according to a study published in January in the journal Nature Food. They're usually high in calories, low in nutrients, and inexpensive compared to whole foods. You'll typically find them in the store's interior aisles.
5. Where you shop (and what you buy) can make a difference. In the Nature Food study, researchers wrote that "Whole Foods offers a greater selection of minimally processed items and fewer ultra-processed options, whereas Target has a particularly high proportion of ultra-processed products." Certain product categories, too, make it likely that no matter which brand or option you choose, the product will be an ultra-processed food, the study found. Those categories included jerky, popcorn, chips, bread, biscuits, and macaroni and cheese – so if you're looking to cut back on ultra-processed foods, start there. For other food types – like cereal, milk and milk substitutes, pasta noodles, and snack bars – finding less processed versions is relatively easy with a little research. Free apps like Processed let you scan a food product to reveal details about how it was processed.
