A global study links ultra-processed foods to tens of thousands of preventable deaths annually, especially in countries like the U.S. and the U.K. with high consumption rates, prompting urgent calls for dietary reform and public health intervention. Study: Premature Mortality Attributable to Ultraprocessed Food Consumption in 8 Countries. Image Credit: Tatjana Baibakova / Shutterstock.com A recent study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine investigates the risk of all-cause mortality associated with the consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and their epidemiologic burden in eight countries. What are UPFs? UPFs are defined as industrial formulations that primarily contain food-derived substances, synthetic food additives, and negligible whole foods. Although these energy-dense foods are highly palatable and available at a low cost, UPFs are typically nutritionally inadequate. UPFs have largely replaced unprocessed or minimally processed foods due to their low cost and widespread availability. Although UPF consumption has not increased significantly in low- and middle-income countries compared to high-income countries, growing rates of UPF consumption have been reported worldwide. Numerous studies have consistently reported that UPF consumption directly increases the risk of noncommunicable diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, obesity, and certain types of cancer. Similarly, a recent umbrella review considering nearly 9.8 million participants found that UPF adherence was associated with poorer physical and mental health outcomes. Various modelling approaches have been used to estimate the potential impact of UPFs on all-cause and cause-specific noncommunicable diseases. Nevertheless, further studies are needed to clarify how inadequate consumption of macro- and micronutrients, combined with high intake of processed meats and sugar-sweetened beverages, affects consumer health. About the study The researchers of the current study conducted a meta-analysis to assess the dose-dependent relationship between UPF consumption and all-cause mortality. All-cause premature death rates among adults were also estimated in eight countries with relatively low (Colombia and Brazil), intermediate (Chile and Mexico), and high (Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the U.S) UPF consumption. Recently published systematic reviews on UPF consumption and its influence on all-cause mortality were included in the meta-analysis. Only studies that assessed UPF consumption according to the Nova classification were included in the analysis. A total of seven prospective studies were considered for the meta-analysis, from which the maximally adjusted average effect (RR) of UPF consumption was recorded from the random-effects meta-analysis model. The pooled relative risk (RR) for all-cause mortality was estimated for every 10% increment in the percentage of UPF. All-cause mortality for each UPF category of contribution was considered to assess the total energy intake, whereas the mean or median value of UPF percentage in each category was considered as the dose. The fourth quartile represented the highest category of UPF intake. UPF consumption was stratified by sex, using microdata obtained from recent national dietary surveys in the selected countries. Population attributable fractions (PAFs) of all-cause premature mortality between the ages of 30 and 69 years associated with UPF consumption were also determined. Study findings A total of 239,982 participants and 14,779 deaths were considered for the dose-response meta-analysis examining the association between the dietary share of UPF and all-cause mortality. The pooled relative risk (RR) for a 10% increase in UPF on total energy intake was estimated to be 1.027. The average UPF contribution to total energy intake differed among all countries considered in this study, with Latin American countries reporting lower overall UPF consumption. In Colombia and Brazil, UPF consumption was less than 20% of energy intake, whereas these estimates increased by 20-30% in Chile and Mexico. Significantly high rates of UPF consumption were recorded in the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, and Canada. A wide range of PAFs was observed in the selected countries based on their average UPF consumption. For example, Colombia, which reported lower UPF consumption, was associated with 3.9% PAFs, whereas the U.K. and U.S. reported higher PAFs at 14%. The absolute number of premature deaths every year attributed to UPF consumption was between approximately 2,000 people in Chile and 124,000 individuals in the U.S. Conclusions The current study reports a linear dose-response association between UPF consumption and all-cause mortality. Each 10% increase in UPF consumption corresponded to a 2.7% increased risk of all-cause mortality. The proportion of premature deaths related to UPF consumption was greater in countries with high adherence to UPF dietary patterns, including the U.K. and U.S. Taken together, the study findings emphasize the crucial need for more effective and multidisciplinary interventions and policies that reduce the consumption of UPFs to mitigate this global public health issue.