Study Links Food Additives to Higher Death Rates

Major New Study on Ultra-Processed Foods and Mortality Risk

You can now listen to Fox News articles! According to a major new study, consuming more ultra-processed foods (UPFs), particularly those with certain additives, is linked to a higher mortality rate over an 11-year period.

The Study Background

The research, published in the journal eClinicalMedicine, analyzed the diets and health status of nearly 187,000 UK adults aged 40 to 75. The data was collected from the UK Biobank, tracked over 11 years. Participants completed multiple online food diaries, detailing their food consumption over a 24-hour period.

By matching these reported foods to actual supermarket products, the research team could determine the quantity and types of UPFs and Multiple Ultra-Processed Food (MUPs) additives being consumed. Each food item was scored based on the likelihood of containing a specific additive, which enabled the team to calculate the percentage of a person’s total daily food intake that came from UPFs or specific additives.

Link Between UPFs and Mortality

According to health experts, a diet high in ultra-processed foods can make weight loss more challenging. But beyond weight management, this study sought to understand the potential health risks associated with such a diet.

By comparing the participants’ dietary patterns with death records from national health registries, the researchers were able to identify which additives, and in what quantities, correlated with an increased mortality rate during the study period.

The Riskiest Additives

Five additive categories were linked with higher all-cause mortality:

• Flavors – risk increased when more of the total diet was made up of flavored foods
• Flavor enhancers
• Coloring agents
• Non-sugar sweeteners such as acesulfame, saccharin, and sucralose
• Varieties of sugar – fructose, inverted sugar, lactose, and maltodextrin were all linked to increased risk

Interestingly, gelling agents were associated with a lower risk of mortality. The percentage of total food intake was measured by weight.

Understanding the Risks

When more than 18% of a person’s diet consisted of UPFs, mortality risk began to increase. At 30% of total intake, the risk rose by 6%. The risk was 14% higher when UPFs constituted 40% of the diet, and 19% higher when they made up 50% of the diet.

The risk associated with flavors was approximately 20% higher when flavored foods constituted 40% of a person’s food intake, compared to 10%. Similarly, colorings were associated with a roughly 24% higher risk when they made up 20% of the diet, versus 3%. Non-sugar sweeteners were linked to about a 14% higher risk when they constituted 20% of the diet, compared to none.

Considering the Caveats

It’s worth noting, however, that this is observational research and cannot definitively prove that these additives cause earlier death. Also, the dietary data is based on self-reported 24-hour recalls matched to product ingredient lists, which can introduce error. Furthermore, the findings address all-cause mortality rather than specific diseases, and despite adjusting for many factors, residual confounding is still possible.

What Can Be Done?

To monitor UPFs in your diet, Mayo Clinic and other health institutions offer some tips. “While the overconsumption of ultra-processed foods has been linked to adverse health outcomes, that doesn’t necessarily mean all processed foods are bad for all people in all situations,” said Tara Schmidt, M. Ed., RDN, lead dietitian for the Mayo Clinic Diet, on the Clinic’s website.

“Reducing the intake of something you eat in large portions daily will make more of a health impact than eliminating something you consume rarely,” Schmidt suggests.

The American Heart Association recommends limiting intake of ultra-processed foods and focusing instead on a diet rich in “vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds, healthy non-tropical oils, and lean proteins.”