Eating large amounts of ultra-processed foods can significantly increase your risk of serious heart disease, according to research presented at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Sessions (ACC.26). Those who consumed nine or more servings per day were 67% more likely to experience a serious cardiac event compared to those who consumed about one serving per day. Ultra-processed foods include a wide range of packaged convenience products such as potato chips, crackers, frozen foods, processed meats, sugar-sweetened beverages, breakfast cereals, and bread.
Risk increases steadily as intake increases. It was found that each additional daily intake increased the odds of heart attack, stroke, and death from coronary heart disease and stroke by more than 5%. This relationship was even stronger 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,” said Amir Haider, MD, PhD, a cardiology fellow at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston and lead author of the study.
Large-scale US study targeting diverse populations
This is one of the first large-scale studies to examine the association between ultra-processed food intake and heart disease in an ethnically diverse group of U.S. adults. The results are consistent with previous studies, many of which were conducted in Europe, and add important insights for a broader population.
The study analyzed data from 6,814 adults aged 45 to 84 without known heart disease who participated in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). The researchers used a food questionnaire to estimate how many ultra-processed foods participants ate each day. They relied on the NOVA classification system, which classifies foods into four categories ranging from unprocessed or minimally processed (such as corn on the cob) to ultra-processed (such as corn chips), with moderately processed foods in between (such as cornstarch and canned corn).
The participants with the highest intakes ate an average of 9.3 servings of ultra-processed foods per day, while those with the lowest intakes had an average of 1.1 servings. Compared with the lowest group, people in the highest group had a 67% higher risk of dying from coronary heart disease or stroke, or experiencing a nonfatal heart attack, stroke, or resuscitated cardiac arrest.
Risks go beyond calories and diet quality
“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.”
These findings suggest that the harmful effects of ultra-processed foods may not be explained by calories or overall diet quality alone. How food is processed may play an independent role in cardiovascular risk, making it important to consider both processing and nutrient content.
Disparities in risks and their factors
Each day of ultra-processed food intake increased the risk of adverse cardiac events by 5.1%. This increase was larger for black Americans, with a 6.1% increased risk per serving for black Americans, compared with 3.2% for non-blacks. The researchers noted that factors such as targeted marketing and limited access to less processed foods in some regions may be contributing to differences in consumption and health outcomes.
Research limitations and possible biological effects
This study has some limitations. The MESA study was not originally designed to specifically measure ultra-processed food intake, so data relied on self-reported dietary questionnaires. Intake was measured by serving, rather than tracking individual foods.
The researchers did not directly investigate the biological mechanisms involved. However, previous research suggests that ultra-processed foods tend to be higher in calories and have added sugars and fats, which can affect hunger and metabolism. These factors can cause weight gain, inflammation, and visceral fat accumulation, all of which increase your risk of heart disease.
How to lower your risk through better food choices
Haidar said one way to reduce risk is to be more conscious of the types of foods you eat and read nutrition labels carefully. Labels detail the amount of added sugar, salt, fat, and carbohydrates per serving, and ultra-processed foods contain more than less-processed foods such as regular oatmeal, nuts, beans, and fresh or frozen foods.
ACC released the 2025 Concise Clinical Guidance Report at JACC, supporting a standardized front-of-pack labeling system to ensure healthier options are more visible, accessible, and achievable for all consumers.
This study was published simultaneously JACC progress.
