A New Study of 8.8 Million People Found a Surprising Link Between Processed Food and Death Risk

A new analysis published September 22 in Family Medicine and Community Health pooled data from nearly 8.8 million adults and found that eating more ultra-processed food was associated with higher risks for several chronic diseases, including a higher risk of death from any cause. The paper analyzed 51 prospective cohort studies from the Americas, Europe, Asia and Oceania, with follow-up periods ranging from two to 32 years.

For grocery shoppers, the findings matter because ultra-processed foods are common, shelf-stable and easy to grab on busy days. The study focused on an amount many households would recognize from the snack aisle: 100 grams a day, or about 3½ ounces.

The study measured risk in small daily increases

According to the study abstract indexed by PubMed, each additional 100 grams of ultra-processed foods consumed per day was associated with a 14% higher risk of cardiovascular events, a 4% higher risk of cancer, a 3% higher risk of all-cause mortality and a 2% higher risk of metabolic syndrome or diabetes. The analysis covered 8,819,894 adults across 51 prospective cohorts, making it one of the larger pooled looks at this question to date.

Fox News, citing the study and a related release, reported that 100 grams is about the size of a 3½-ounce bag of corn chips, a small box of candy or a single-serve cup of mini cookies. That framing helps translate the research into food amounts shoppers can picture in a lunch box, after-school snack or convenience meal.

The study was observational, not a clinical trial. Kelly Springer, a New York-based registered dietitian and founder of Kelly’s Choice, told Fox News Digital that the results cannot prove ultra-processed foods directly caused the poorer outcomes. She also noted that the research relied on self-reported diets and may not fully account for other lifestyle factors.

The foods in question are common in U.S. carts

The analysis described ultra-processed foods as industrially made, heavily processed products that often contain additives. Examples cited in the coverage included sugary drinks, processed meats, packaged snacks and candy. Those are foods many families buy because they are portable, familiar and quick to serve.

People with the highest intake of ultra-processed foods also had higher risks of digestive diseases, depression or anxiety, obesity, cancer and cardiovascular events than those with the lowest intake, according to the report summarized by Fox News. The paper’s authors wrote that chronic diseases linked to ultra-processed foods often cluster as multimorbidity, which is one reason primary care clinicians are paying attention to the pattern.

This is also relevant in the United States because ultra-processed foods already make up a large share of the diet. A CDC data brief published in August 2025 found that, from August 2021 through August 2023, the mean percentage of total calories consumed from ultra-processed foods among people age 1 and older was 55.0%.

What the findings could mean in home kitchens

The practical takeaway is not that every packaged food must disappear from the kitchen. Springer told Fox News Digital, “It’s not that you can never eat them again.” Her advice focused less on restriction and more on building meals and snacks around foods with protein and fiber.

She suggested pairings such as an apple with peanut butter, nuts with cucumbers, or meals built around beans, chicken or tuna with fruits, vegetables and whole grains. That approach lines up with the study authors’ conclusion that reducing ultra-processed foods and replacing them with minimally processed alternatives may be relevant for chronic disease prevention and primary care management.

For families trying to balance cost, time and convenience, the study does not sort foods by brand, retailer or price point. What it does show is that risk rose with each added 100 grams per day, a quantity equal to one modest snack-sized portion from the packaged snack aisle.