CONTEXT: Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are industrial formulations with high levels of sugar, saturated fats, and other ingredients that generate multiple negative effects on human health. OBJECTIVE: To summarize all the available evidence from systematic reviews and meta-analyses on the association between the consumption of UPFs and human health outcomes. DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, LILACS, and manual screening. DATA EXTRACTION: This is an umbrella review of the evidence on the effect of UPF consumption, under the definition of the NOVA classification, on human health outcomes. The quality assessment was conducted by 2 investigators working independently. Twenty-six studies were included (n = 11 systematic reviews and 15 meta-analyses). DATA ANALYSIS: An association between high amounts of UPF consumption and increased risk of higher adiposity parameters, body fat, respiratory diseases, and obesity was found in children and adolescents. A higher risk of all-cause mortality; type 2 diabetes mellitus; mental and sleep disorders; cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and digestive diseases; as well as all types of cancer in both sexes was found for adults, including colorectal and prostate cancer in men, and breast cancer in women. However, limited inverse associations were identified: higher amounts of consumption of certain cereals and dairy foods was associated with a decreased risk of specific outcomes such as hypertension, adiposity parameters, body fat and weight, and lipid profile. After reaching a consensus, 16 studies were rated as good quality, 7 as acceptable quality, and 3 as poor quality. CONCLUSIONS: UPF consumption is mainly associated with considerable health outcomes, particularly a higher risk of chronic noncommunicable diseases, all-cause mortality, and mental disorders. However, the strength of this evidence is heterogeneous, so caution should be exercised regarding the implications it has for the accuracy and interpretation of the results.
Rodriguez-Hilarion et al. (Fri,) studied this question.