The consumption of ultra-processed foods has been linked to various adverse health outcomes, including hypertension, cardiovascular events, cancer, digestive diseases, and mortality. Research presented at the ACC Asia 2025 Together with SCS 36th Annual Scientific Meeting suggests that for every 100 grams of ultra-processed food consumed daily, the risk for these health issues increases.

Ultra-processed foods are characterized by high sugar, salt, and non-nutritive components, exhibiting low nutritional density yet high caloric content. These products may contribute to adverse health outcomes through mechanisms such as dysregulation of blood lipid profiles, alterations in gut microbiota composition, promotion of obesity, induction of systemic inflammation, exacerbation of oxidative stress, and impairment of insulin sensitivity.

A systematic review of 41 prospective cohort studies, spanning the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Oceania, found that ultra-processed food consumption was associated with increased risks for:

* Hypertension: 14.5% higher risk per 100g/day consumed
* Cardiovascular events: 5.9% higher risk per 100g/day consumed
* Cancer: 1.2% higher risk per 100g/day consumed
* Digestive diseases: 19.5% higher risk per 100g/day consumed
* All-cause mortality: 2.6% higher risk per 100g/day consumed

Researchers observed increased risks for obesity/overweight, metabolic syndromes/diabetes, and depression/anxiety.

The study’s findings suggest that clinicians should inform patients about the nutritional imbalance in ultra-processed foods and encourage them to reduce their consumption. Governments may consider implementing measures to mitigate the associated health impacts, such as establishing stringent food labeling regulations and requiring manufacturers to provide explicit ingredient disclosures.

Emerging evidence has linked health benefits to whole foods, simple ingredients, and culturally appropriate healthy eating patterns like the Mediterranean or DASH diet. Further high-quality studies on this topic are needed to inform public health recommendations and promote healthier eating habits.

Eating ultra-processed foods like cold breakfast cereal, cookies, and hot dogs may speed up early signs of Parkinson’s disease, according to a recent study published in Neurology. The research found that people who consumed more of these processed foods were more likely to experience early symptoms of the disease compared to those who ate very few.

The study analyzed data from over 42,000 participants with an average age of 48, who did not have Parkinson’s disease at the start of the study. They were followed up to 26 years and completed regular medical exams and health questionnaires. Researchers also reviewed food diaries that listed what participants ate and how often.

The team looked at several types of ultra-processed foods, including sauces, spreads, or condiments; packaged sweets; snacks or desserts; artificially or sugar-sweetened beverages; animal-based products; yogurt or dairy-based desserts; and packaged savory snacks. One serving was equivalent to a single can of soda, one ounce of potato chips, one slice of packaged cake, a single hot dog, or one tablespoon of ketchup.

Researchers divided participants into five groups based on how many ultra-processed foods they ate per day on average. The highest group consumed 11 or more servings daily, while the lowest group averaged fewer than three servings daily.

After adjusting for factors like age, physical activity, and smoking, researchers found that participants who ate 11 or more servings of ultra-processed food per day had a 2.5-fold higher likelihood of having three or more early signs of Parkinson’s disease compared to those consuming fewer than three servings per day.

When looking at individual symptoms, eating more ultra-processed foods was tied to an increased risk for nearly all symptoms except constipation. The study’s author, Xiang Gao, emphasized the importance of choosing whole, nutritious foods over processed ones to maintain brain health.

While the study suggests a link between ultra-processed food consumption and early signs of Parkinson’s disease, it does not prove causation. More research is needed to confirm these findings and understand the complex relationships between diet, lifestyle, and neurodegenerative diseases.

In the meantime, individuals can take steps to reduce their exposure to ultra-processed foods by:

* Reading labels carefully
* Choosing whole grains over refined ones
* Limiting sugary drinks and snacks
* Opting for fresh fruits and vegetables instead of packaged options
* Cooking meals from scratch using fresh ingredients

By making informed food choices, individuals can contribute to a healthier brain and potentially reduce their risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s.

The Cilento Initiative on Aging Outcomes (CIAO) study has been a decade in the making, and this month, researchers will gather in Acciaroli, Italy to review their progress and plan their next steps. Launched in 2016, the CIAO study seeks to identify key factors that promote healthy aging and extreme longevity.

The region of Cilento in southern Italy is home to a remarkable 300 residents who are over 100 years old and in robust health. This area was also the original source of research for Ancel Keys, the American physiologist who studied the influence of diet on health and promoted the benefits of the Mediterranean diet.

Scientists hope to reveal the longevity secrets of the Cilento region by using an array of tools to measure metabolomics, biomes, cognitive dysfunction, and protein biomarkers for risk of heart disease, Alzheimer’s, kidney disease, and cancer. They will also conduct psychological, social, and lifestyle surveys to gain a more comprehensive understanding.

“There is no single secret to living a long, healthy life,” said Salvatore Di Somma, MD, the study’s lead Italian investigator. “It is many secrets, most of which we are only beginning to understand and more importantly, learn how they might be applied to the well-being of everybody.”

The CIAO study is a multi-institution collaboration that includes Sanford Burnham Prebys, an independent nonprofit biomedical research institute in San Diego, the Sanford Stem Cell Institute at University of California San Diego, University La Sapienza in Rome, and Great Health Science.

A symposium will take place on May 22-23, featuring scientists describing their work and findings. The event is titled “CIAO Study: A decade of science on healthy aging, stem cells, and the revealed secrets of longevity.” Understanding how we age and how we might age better is a timeless pursuit, said David Brenner, MD, president and CEO of Sanford Burnham Prebys.

Current CIAO projects are leveraging genetic, epigenetic, transcriptomic, metabolic, proteomic, and environmental analyses to identify key contributors to extreme longevity. Researchers are using induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) derived from the centenarians to model age-related and metabolic stresses in human 3D organoids.

“This study will provide new insights into the development of regenerative medicine strategies for promoting healthy aging and treating age-related conditions,” said Tatiana Kisseleva, MD, PhD, professor of surgery at UC San Diego School of Medicine. Preliminary findings are expected to be presented at the symposium.