Ultra-Processed Foods Linked to 40% of Heart Disease Cases, Canadian Study Warns

Heart disease rates and cardiovascular deaths could be significantly reduced by consuming less ultra-processed foods, researchers found.

While the widespread overconsumption of ultra-processed foods has always been a concern, recent studies have highlighted more specific health risks associated with the widely marketed junk foods.

In a new report published this month by the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, researchers warning that ultra-processed foods may be responsible for causing four out of every 10 cases of stroke and heart disease.

Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are made from heavily refined ingredients and additives to mimic the taste, appearance and texture of real food. They include a wide variety of products, including sugary breakfast cereals, frozen ready-to-eat meals, soda and chips.

These types of food products often contain emulsifiers, artificial sweeteners and preservatives used to enhance the taste, texture and shelf-life of the products, but offer no real nutritional benefits. However, there is now growing evidence that the food industry has known for decades about the health risks from ultra-processed foods, yet continues to aggressively market their products directly to adults and children.

As a result, a growing number of lawyers across the U.S. are now investigating potential ultra-processed food lawsuits for families of children diagnosed with type 2 diabetes or fatty liver disease, claiming that the food industry has failed to disclose health risks, while employing marketing practices that prioritized profits over consumer safety.

According to researchers with the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, their new report is the first of its kind to use a simulation model to estimate the number of cardiovascular disease (CVD) events that could be linked to the consumption of ultra-processed foods. They also examined the potential effects of Canadians reducing or increasing their consumption.

The research models showed that ultra-processed foods represent 43.3% of the total daily energy uptake by Canadian adults and are linked to 38% of CVD and stroke cases in Canada. In addition, the highest levels of UPF consumption led to higher risks of heart disease.

The findings link UPF to an estimated 96,043 new cases of CVD, 17,417 deaths and 388,654 years of lost life or disability every year. The report also indicates that more than 45,000 cases of heart disease and more than 8,300 deaths could be prevented every year if Canadians reduced their consumption of ultra-processed foods.

“This study estimated a high burden of CVD attributable to the consumption of UPF among Canadian adults in 2019: more than a third of the overall CVD burden (38%) was attributable to the consumption of these products,” the researchers concluded. “Canada urgently needs a comprehensive approach employing multiple policies and interventions aimed at reducing the ubiquitous exposure to UPF in the Canadian food environment and decreasing the consumption of these products in the population. Such actions would be an important step toward addressing the substantial burden of CVD on Canadian society.”