Canadian Study on Ultra-Processed Foods
Segment # 435
Canadian Study Points to Ultraprocessed Foods as a Massive Cause of Heart Disease
The analysis from the University of Montreal’s Department of Nutrition, commissioned by the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, found that ultra-processed foods (UPFs) contribute significantly to Canada’s heart disease and stroke burden. Using national health data to model the impact on adults over 20, the study estimated that UPFs are linked to approximately 38% of cardiovascular disease (CVD) cases and deaths. In 2019, this translated to roughly 96,000 new CVD cases, 17,400 deaths, and 389,000 years of life lost or lived with chronic heart conditions. These findings highlight UPFs as a major driver of heart disease and stroke, pointing to the need for dietary shifts to reduce their consumption
Definition of Ultra-processed Foods
Ultraprocessed foods (UPFs) are industrially formulated products that undergo extensive processing and contain multiple ingredients, often including additives like preservatives, sweeteners, artificial flavors, or colors. They are typically high in sugar, unhealthy fats, and sodium, and low in nutrients like fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Examples include soft drinks, packaged snacks, processed meats, ready-to-eat meals, and many fast foods. The NOVA classification system, widely used in nutrition research, defines UPFs as foods that are "formulations of ingredients, mostly of exclusive industrial use, made by a series of industrial processes, many requiring sophisticated equipment and technology." These foods are designed for long shelf life, convenience, and palatability, often at the expense of nutritional quality.
•The research identified high numbers of deaths and disability tied to processed food intake — The team linked food intake data from the Canadian Community Health Survey to new cases of cardiovascular disease, deaths from heart disease and stroke, and years of life lost or spent disabled.
•Ultraprocessed foods cause nearly 100,000 cases of heart disease annually — In 2019 alone, ultraprocessed foods contributed to 96,043 new cases of cardiovascular disease, 17,417 deaths, and nearly 389,000 years of life lost or spent living with chronic heart-related conditions.
•Over one-third of heart disease deaths came from eating ultraprocessed foods — The study, a first of its kind,2 was modeled using real national health data and validated risk models, not guesses or projections.
•Reducing ultraprocessed food consumption could save thousands of lives each year — According to the authors, if Canadians cut their intake of these foods by 50%, there would be 45,914 fewer new cardiovascular disease cases annually. It would also save 8,314 lives every single year.
•Men are hit hardest by ultraprocessed food-related heart problems — The highest levels of processed food consumption were seen in young men aged 20 to 24 and adults over 80. Unsurprisingly, the study found that 61% of new heart disease and stroke cases connected to these foods occurred in men. Additionally, men accounted for 52% of the related deaths.
•The damage builds up from youth and compounds with age — Poor eating habits create health problems later, with symptoms like high blood pressure, fatigue, and shortness of breath appearing when damage is already underway.
Ultraprocessed foods are engineered to make you overeat. These foods are packed with industrial ingredients like refined sugars, trans fats, and chemicals designed to override your fullness signals. The result? Overeating, weight gain, and chronic inflammation, which damage your artery walls and raise your blood clot risk.
Your Brain Also Suffers When You Eat Ultraprocessed Foods
The featured study adds to the growing evidence associating ultraprocessed food with adverse health outcomes. Another recent study published in Neurology3 also points out how these products damage brain function and increase the likelihood of stroke.
Focusing on cognitive decline and stroke risk in adults across the U.S., researchers from Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Yale School of Medicine, and University of Alabama at Birmingham4 used data from the REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke study (REGARDS), tracking both Black and White adults over time.
•The study found sharp increases in risk — More than 14,000 adults without cognitive impairment and over 20,000 adults without prior strokes were tracked for years. The researchers found that for every 10% increase in ultraprocessed food consumption, cognitive impairment risk jumped by 16%, and stroke risk rose by 8%.
The study found that the relationship between ultraprocessed food intake and stroke risk was strongest in Black participants.
•Cognitive decline was tracked over several years through measurable tests — The participants were observed from 2003 to 2007; they repeatedly underwent testing as well. Researchers used memory and verbal fluency tests to monitor changes, and found that participants who ate the most ultraprocessed foods scored worse over time. They showed increasing forgetfulness and trouble recalling simple words.
•The participants who consumed the least processed food had better brain health — Prioritizing whole foods like fresh fruits and vegetables maintained stronger memory and mental sharpness throughout the study. This means swapping processed foods for simple, home-cooked meals could preserve your cognitive health for decades.
This shows that even relatively modest yet healthy changes in your diet will have a significant impact on your brain health. According to Dr. W. Taylor Kimberly, a neurologist at Massachusetts General Hospital and the study's senior study author:5
"What you're talking about is one or two meals a week. If you can exchange that from an ultraprocessed meal to an unprocessed food or meal, that is associated with a measurable reduction in the risk of stroke or cognitive impairment. It's not only what we eat that matters, but how the food is processed before we eat it."