About 14% of premature deaths in England attributable to unhealthy food, the most among surveyed countries

Consuming large amounts of ultra-processed food (UPF) increases the risk of an early death, according to a international study that has reignited calls for a crackdown on UPF.

Each 10% extra intake of UPF, such as bread, cakes and ready meals, increases someone’s risk of dying before they reach 75 by 3%, according to research in countries including the US and England.

UPF is so damaging to health that it is implicated in as many as one in seven of all premature deaths that occur in some countries, according to a paper in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

They are associated with 124,107 early deaths in the US a year and 17,781 deaths every year in England, the review of dietary and mortality data from eight countries found.

  • BenjiRenji@feddit.orgEnglish
    10·
    6 hours ago

    Meat substitutes are not necessarily UPFs.

    “Processed” is a shitty descriptor without a clear definition. Cooking a food is processing it, but some food only become degestible (like some meat) when you cook it. Bread and all baked goods are processed. Are they all going to end us?

    So you may not even be making a trade here. Not all substitudes are equal.

    • Monstrosity@lemm.eeEnglish
      3·
      6 hours ago

      You’re totally right. I suppose I am thinking of things like chicken’t nuggets or Beyond Beef. Things that would be considered junk food anyways.