Impact of Ultra-Processed Foods on Biological Age
Recent research reveals that individuals who consume significant quantities of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) tend to exhibit a biological age that is greater than their chronological age. Biological aging, as opposed to chronological aging—which simply measures the number of years since birth—occurs at a cellular level and may increase susceptibility to various health conditions, including lung disease, cancer, diabetes, dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease.
Related
- Scientists identify 8 healthy habits that could potentially slow down aging by up to 6 years.
A team of researchers from Italy conducted an extensive analysis involving over 22,000 participants from the Moli-sani Study, a large-scale European initiative aimed at understanding the risk factors associated with chronic diseases. Their goal was to investigate the impact of UPFs on biological age. “Our findings indicate that a high intake of ultra-processed foods not only adversely affects general health but may also accelerate biological aging itself. This suggests a relationship that extends beyond the mere poor nutritional quality typically associated with these foods,” stated Simona Esposito, the study’s lead author and a researcher at the Institute for Research, Hospitalization and Health Care (IRCCS) Neuromed.
What Are the Health Risks Associated with Ultra-Processed Foods?
Ultra-processed foods are characterized by their composition, which includes ingredients seldom found in home cooking, such as various additives like dyes, preservatives, flavor enhancers, and sweeteners. Common examples include ice cream, mass-produced bread, certain breakfast cereals, fruit-flavored yogurts, meat substitutes, and some alcoholic beverages. The consumption of these foods has been linked to a heightened risk of several health issues, including elevated blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases, heart attacks, strokes, and even an increased risk of premature death, according to the British Heart Foundation.
Related
- Research associates ultra-processed foods with higher risks of cardiovascular disease and mortality.
In this study, researchers evaluated 36 blood biomarkers from the participants alongside responses from a food frequency questionnaire that detailed their dietary habits, particularly their intake of ultra-processed foods. This data allowed the researchers to estimate each participant’s biological age and assess the difference between this and their actual age.
What Were the Findings of the Study?
Published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the study concluded that a high consumption of heavily processed foods correlates with accelerated biological aging. The researchers noted that the observed effects were only “weakly explained” by the poor nutritional quality of these foods, indicating that other underlying mechanisms may be at play.
Related
- Study reveals that ultra-processed foods account for nearly half of the calories consumed by toddlers in the UK.
“In addition to being nutritionally inadequate and rich in sugars, salt, and unhealthy fats, these foods undergo extensive industrial processing that alters their food matrix, resulting in a significant loss of nutrients and fiber,” explained Marialaura Bonaccio, a nutritional epidemiologist at IRCCS Neuromed. “These changes can have significant implications for various physiological functions, including glucose metabolism and the composition and functionality of the gut microbiota. Moreover, the packaging of these products, often made of plastic, can introduce toxic substances into the body.”
