People who ate an average of nine or more servings of ultra-processed foods a day were 67 percent more likely to have a major cardiac event than those who ate about one serving of such foods a day, according to research presented at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Sessions (ACC.26). Ultra-processed foods include many prepackaged convenience foods, such as potato chips, crackers, frozen foods, processed meats, sugar-sweetened beverages, breakfast cereals, and bread.
Research shows that each additional daily intake increases the risk of adverse events such as heart attack, stroke, and death from coronary heart disease and stroke by more than 5%. The association between ultra-processed food intake and adverse events was more pronounced among black Americans compared to other racial groups.
Ultra-processed foods are associated with an increased risk of heart disease, and while many of these products may seem like convenient meal or snack options, our findings suggest they should be consumed in moderation. ”
Amir Haider, M.D., cardiology fellow at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and lead author of the study
This study is one of the first large-scale studies to examine ultra-processed food consumption and heart disease risk in an ethnically diverse population of U.S. adults. This result is consistent with that of previous studies, most of which were conducted in Europe, and provides additional context for the more diverse U.S. population.
The study was based on data from 6,814 U.S. adults aged 45 to 84 without known heart disease enrolled in the Multi-Ethnic Atherosclerosis Study (MESA). The researchers used a food questionnaire to assess each participant’s daily intake of ultra-processed foods based on the NOVA classification system. The NOVA classification system classifies foods into four groups, ranging from unprocessed or minimally processed (such as corn on the cob) to ultra-processed (such as corn chips), with more lightly processed items (such as cornstarch and canned corn) falling in between.
Participants in the highest quintile of ultra-processed food intake ate an average of 9.3 servings of such foods per day, while participants in the lowest quintile ate an average of 1.1 servings per day. Compared with the lowest quintile, participants in the highest quintile were 67% more likely to die from coronary heart disease or stroke, or to experience a nonfatal heart attack, stroke, or resuscitated cardiac arrest.
“We controlled for a number of factors in this study,” Haidar said. “Regardless of the number of calories consumed per day, regardless of the overall quality of the diet, the risks associated with increased intake of ultra-processed foods were about the same, even after controlling for common risk factors such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and obesity.”
Haidar said these findings suggest that ultra-processed foods may contribute to cardiovascular risk through mechanisms beyond excess calories and poor overall diet quality, and suggest that paying attention to how foods are processed, along with their nutrient content, may be important for heart health.
Overall, each additional daily intake of ultra-processed foods increased the risk of adverse cardiac events by 5.1%. However, this association was even stronger among black Americans, with each additional serving increasing the risk by 6.1%, compared with a 3.2% increased risk per serving among non-blacks. The researchers said food marketing targeting minorities and neighborhood environmental factors that make access to less processed foods difficult are likely contributing to inequalities in ultra-processed food consumption and associated health effects among different racial groups.
The study had several limitations. Because the MESA study was not specifically designed to collect data on ultra-processed food intake, the researchers said the dietary questionnaire data relied on self-reporting by participants and assessed processed food intake by number of meals rather than individual foods.
Additionally, although this study did not focus on the biological mechanisms involved, previous research suggests that the satiety and metabolic effects of high energy density, added sugars and fats, and ultra-processed foods promote weight gain, inflammation, and the accumulation of visceral adipose tissue, all of which may contribute to heart disease.
Haider said one way to reduce risk is to pay attention to the types of foods being consumed and food labels. Nutrition facts labels provide important information about the amount of added sugar, salt, fat, and carbohydrates in each serving. These are often higher in ultra-processed foods compared to less processed foods such as regular oatmeal, nuts, beans, and fresh or frozen foods.
The ACC has released a concise clinical guidance report for 2025. jack We support a standardized front-of-pack labeling system to ensure that healthier options are more visible, accessible, and achievable for all consumers.
This study was published simultaneously JACC progress.
sauce:
American College of Cardiology
Reference magazines:
Haider, A. others. (2026) Association between ultra-processed food consumption and cardiovascular disease risk: MESA (Multi-Ethnic Study on Atherosclerosis). JACC progress. DOI: 10.1016/j.jacadv.2025.102516. https://www.jacc.org/doi/10.1016/j.jacadv.2025.102516
