A coalition of Europe’s top heart experts, led by the European Society of Cardiology, issued a direct warning that ultra-processed foods are linked to a sharp rise in heart disease, strokes and premature death. The report, published in the European Heart Journal, consolidates a decade of research, arguing the harm is independent of sugar, salt, or fat content and is instead tied to the industrial processing itself.
Adults consuming the highest levels of ultra-processed foods faced up to a 19% higher risk of heart disease, a 13% higher risk of atrial fibrillation, and a 65% increased risk of death from cardiovascular causes. A separate Spanish study found that consuming more than four servings daily raised the risk of early death by 62%, with each additional serving increasing mortality risk by 18%.
The report condemns products containing industrial substances not found in home kitchens (e.g., hydrogenated oils, emulsifiers, artificial colors). These hyper-palatable foods bypass natural satiety signals, trigger chronic inflammation, disrupt the gut microbiome, and cause metabolic disruption leading to obesity, Type 2 diabetes and hypertension—even in foods marketed as healthy, like certain cereals and protein bars.
The authors call on doctors to actively screen patients for ultra-processed food consumption and discuss reducing these foods as a primary strategy, alongside advice on smoking cessation and physical activity. This represents a departure from past nutrient-centric advice (focusing on sugar or fat) toward focusing on the industrial process itself.
The report argues that reformulating products to have less salt or sugar is insufficient, as the harm is linked to processing itself. Policy-makers should focus on promoting unprocessed whole foods rather than trusting industry fixes.
A coalition of Europe’s leading heart experts issued a stark warning Thursday that is likely to reshape how doctors view the food on your grocery store shelves: eating ultra-processed foods is now directly linked to a sharp rise in heart disease, strokes and premature death. The report, published in the European Heart Journal, consolidates a decade of global research and represents the strongest medical consensus to date that these industrially manufactured foods are a distinct and dangerous threat to cardiovascular health, independent of their sugar, salt, or fat content.
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