Overview
- Researchers presented an analysis at NUTRITION 2026 on July 28 that used data from three US cohort studies following more than 200,000 adults from the 1980s through the 2020s.
- The team found that people who ate higher‑quality plant‑based diets had lower risks of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and death regardless of whether those diets were composed mainly of ultra‑processed or minimally processed foods.
- About 26,200 participants developed cardiovascular disease, roughly 21,000 developed type 2 diabetes, and about 55,500 died during follow‑up, giving the study substantial statistical power to compare diet quality and processing level.
- The authors note the NOVA processing system does not measure nutrient content so some fortified or whole‑grain packaged foods count as ultra‑processed while some minimally processed items can be nutritionally poor.
- The findings are preliminary because they were presented as conference abstracts and have not yet been peer reviewed, but they could influence dietary advice and encourage manufacturers to improve the nutrient profiles of packaged foods.