Ultra-processed foods linked to accelerated aging, study finds

A new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition revealed a concerning link between the consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and signs of accelerated biological aging. Scientists at Italy's IRCCS Neuromed Mediterranean Neurological Institute discovered that individuals who consume higher amounts of UPFs show signs of accelerated biological aging compared to those who eat fewer UPFs.

The study examined over 22,000 adults in Italy's Molise region, specifically 22,495 participants recruited between 2005 and 2010, focusing on their eating habits related to ultra-processed foods, as reported by GetSurrey.co.uk. Participants completed detailed food frequency questionnaires about their eating habits over the past year, which included 188 different food items.

To measure biological aging, the researchers used a sophisticated artificial intelligence approach that analyzed 36 different blood biomarkers, including indicators of inflammation, metabolism, and organ function. This created a "biological age" score that could be compared to participants’ actual age. Participants whose diets included the highest share of ultra-processed foods—more than 14% of their total diet—showed a biological aging acceleration of about four months compared to those who ate fewer of these foods, according to RBC-Ukraine.

While a four-month acceleration in biological aging may not seem significant, it can have a substantial cumulative effect over years or even decades, The Express reported. Scientists have found that this acceleration could increase the predisposition to diseases such as cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer's, and pulmonary and cardiac pathologies.

Among the participants, processed meat products emerged as the largest segment of ultra-processed food consumption, representing 17.6 percent, as stated by Bristol Live. Cakes and pastries were the next largest source of ultra-processed food intake at 14.2 percent, followed by fruit drinks at 10.9 percent.

Ultra-processed foods include packaged snacks, sugary drinks, reconstituted meat products, instant noodles, and items such as sugary cereals, snack chips, ready-to-eat meals, and processed meats like hot dogs or chicken nuggets, according to The Express. These foods often contain many additives, including artificial colorings, sweeteners, preservatives, and unhealthy ingredients such as high levels of sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats, which are not found in a typical home kitchen, RBC-Ukraine noted.

"The mechanisms through which ultra-processed foods can be harmful to human health are not yet entirely clear. Besides being nutritionally inadequate, being rich in sugars, salt and saturated or trans fats, these foods undergo intense industrial processing that actually alters their food matrix, with the consequent loss of nutrients and fibre," Marialaura Bonaccio, a co-author of the study, explained.

"This can have important consequences for a series of physiological functions, including glucose metabolism, and the composition and functionality of the gut microbiota. Also, these products are often wrapped in plastic packaging, thus becoming vehicles of substances toxic to the body," she added. 

Participants with higher UPF consumption were generally younger, more well-educated, and predominantly city residents, and they tended to be less physically active and have fewer chronic diseases at the study's commencement; however, these patterns might reflect their younger demographics, The Express noted.

"This study prompts us once again to re-evaluate the current dietary recommendations that should also include warnings on limiting the intake of ultra-processed food in our daily diet," commented Licia Iacoviello, a researcher involved in the study.

The researchers classified foods into four categories using the NOVA classification system, focusing particularly on ultra-processed foods. Ultra-processed foods are often high in additives, artificial colors, sweeteners, and preservatives that are not typically found in a home kitchen, including hydrolyzed proteins, maltodextrins, and hydrogenated fats.

Experts advise that it isn't necessary to cut ultra-processed foods out completely, but rather to lessen their consumption and opt for minimally processed alternatives whenever feasible, getsurrey.co.uk reported. Unprocessed foods include fruits, vegetables, nuts, eggs, and meats.

This article was written in collaboration with generative AI company Alchemiq