Reducing ultra-processed foods could prevent thousands of heart disease deaths, study suggests

The brief

Thousands of people could avoid dying of heart disease by reducing ultra-processed foods (UPFs), experts have said, as a modelling study suggests junk food may be driving up to a third of cases. Millions of people increasingly consume UPFs such as ready meals, breakfast cereals, protein bars, fizzy drinks and fast food. In the UK and US, more than half the average diet now consists of UPFs. For some, especially people who are younger, or from disadvantaged areas, a diet comprising as much as 80% UPFs is typical. Previous research has linked UPFs to serious harm in every major organ system of the human body. Now a study suggests that…