Overview
- Researchers analyzed 6,814 adults aged 45–84 without baseline heart disease from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis.
- Each additional daily serving of ultra-processed foods was associated with roughly a 5% higher likelihood of heart attack, stroke, or coronary death.
- Participants consuming more than nine servings per day faced about a 67% higher risk compared with those averaging about one serving.
- The association remained after adjusting for calories, overall diet quality, and common risk factors including diabetes, hypertension, cholesterol, and obesity.
- The per-serving risk increase was larger among Black Americans (6.1% vs 3.2% in non-Black groups), and the study notes limitations such as self-reported intake and cohort design not tailored to ultra-processed food measurement.