Longevity & AgingEvery 100g of Ultraprocessed Food Daily Raises Heart Disease and Cancer Risk
A large meta-analysis covering 51 prospective cohort studies and over 8.8 million participants found that each additional 100 grams of ultraprocessed food consumed daily was associated with meaningfully higher risks of cardiovascular events, cancer, all-cause mortality, and metabolic syndrome or diabetes. That 100-gram threshold is roughly equivalent to one large store-bought cookie, four servings of potato chips, or two hot dogs. Researchers from Duke-NUS Medical School recommend that primary care doctors advise patients to gradually reduce ultraprocessed food intake to around 10-20% of total daily calories, replacing these foods with minimally processed alternatives rather than simply restricting them. The findings are observational, so causation remains unproven.
