Ultra-Processed Foods Raise Heart Risk

• Study links ultra-processed food to higher heart attack/stroke risk.
• Eating >9 daily servings raises cardiac event risk by 67%, research finds.
• Experts advise label reading & mindful swaps for heart health.

In the age of convenience, using frozen, deep-fried or processed meats that are brimming with preservatives is the norm. It makes life easier on days when work and life collide. However, a new study has

found that eating too much ultra-processed food may significantly increase the risk of serious heart problems.

The research was presented at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session.

They found that the risk of a heart attack or stroke rose the more one eats ultra-processed foods. In fact, their findings state that each additional daily serving of such foods was linked to more than a 5% increase in the likelihood of heart attacks, strokes, or death from coronary heart disease or stroke.

For those who consumed more than 9 servings per day were 67% more likely to experience major cardiac events compared with those who ate about one serving daily. According to the study, the ultra-processed foods included a wide range of packaged and convenience items such as chips, crackers, frozen meals, processed meats, sugary drinks, breakfast cereals and breads.

“Ultra-processed foods are associated with an increased risk for heart disease, and while many of these products may seem like convenient on-the-go meal or snack options, our findings suggest they should be consumed in moderation,” said Amier Haidar, MD, a cardiology fellow at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and the study’s lead author.

This is one of the first large studies to examine the link between ultra-processed food intake and heart disease in a racially diverse group of U.S. adults, as most of the earlier studies were conducted in the UK. The study analysed data from 6,814 adults ages 45-84 years who did not have known heart disease and were part of the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). Researchers used food questionnaires to estimate how many ultra-processed foods participants ate each day.

Amier Haidar suggests one way that can help reduce the risk of causing heart issues in the future is to carefully read labes and be more aware of the types of foods you eat. As the nutritional labels on the cans provide details on the added sugar, salt, fat and carbohydrates per serving, which are often higher in ultra-processed foods than in less-processed options like plain oatmeal, nuts, beans and fresh or frozen produce, so by reading it one can be aware and make swaps where needed.