What Doctors Wish Patients Knew About Ultraprocessed Foods

For people on the run, ultraprocessed food may become their go-to diet, sacrificing nutrition for convenience. While it may be convenient, consuming ultraprocessed foods on a regular basis increases a person’s risk of health complications including cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, obesity and type 2 diabetes. But it can be hard to tell when these foods are on your plate.

Research has shown that diets high in ultraprocessed foods are linked to more than 30 health conditions, according to an umbrella review of meta-analyses that was published in The BMJ. Meanwhile, more exposure to ultraprocessed foods was associated with a higher risk of dying from any cause. There were also strong ties with higher consumption and cardiovascular disease-related deaths, mental health disorders and type 2 diabetes.

The AMA’s What Doctors Wish Patients Knew™ series gives physicians a platform to share what they want patients to understand about today’s health care headlines.