Mixed
High consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) causes increased risk of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, independent of nutrient content, due to hyper-palatability and additive effects.
Shift your diet away from ultra-processed foods (soft drinks, packaged snacks, ready meals) towards freshly prepared dishes using unprocessed or minimally processed ingredients. Focus on the nature of the food, not just its calories or macros, as UPFs are linked to higher risks of obesity and chronic disease regardless of nutrient content.
Consistent and compelling evidence now shows that dietary patterns and dietary quality are shaped by the nature, extent and purpose of food processing... diets high in ultra-processed foods are associated with increased risk of a range of diet-related outcomes including overweight, obesity and cardiometabolic conditions and disorders
Why this rating
Based on multiple meta-analyses, RCTs (Hall et al.), and large-scale observational studies cited.
Source
How to enhance the good health and well-being of Canadians:
Jean‐Claude Moubarac et al. · Canadian Food Studies / La Revue canadienne des études sur l alimentation · 2022
This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →