The study finds no safe quantity of processed foods, links with chronic diseases

A new meta-analysis from Washington University suggests that no amount of transformed food is sure to consume.

Researchers have analyzed 77 different studies to assess the link between certain quantities of these foods and common chronic diseases.

“The usual consumption of small quantities of processed meat, sugary drinks and trans fatty acids is linked to an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, ischemic heart disease and colorectal cancer”, the main author of the Demewoz Haile study, a scientist from the Institute of Health and Health Assessment at Washington University, told Fox News Digital.

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“There is no sure level of usual consumption of these food groups, so they should not be included in our daily diet,” he said.

For transformed meats in particular, researchers have concluded that eating as little as 0.6 to 57 grams per day was linked to a larger probability of developing type 2 diabetes.

A new meta-analysis from Washington University suggests that no amount of transformed food is sure to consume. (istock)

Consumption between 0.78 and 55 grams per day has been associated with a 7% increase in the risk of colorectal cancer, the study revealed.

(A hot dog, which is made up of almost entirely transformed meat, is around 50 grams.)

The researchers also analyzed the impact of sugary drinks, noting that drinking between 1.5 and 390 grams per day could increase the risk of type 2 diabetes by 8%.

Risk of diabetes linked to these ultra -approached food combinations

Consumption between 0 and 365 grams of drinks could increase the risk of ischemic heart disease – the most common type of heart disease and the main cause of death – 2%, the study revealed.

Trans fatty acids have also been analyzed in the study. When unsaturated fats represented 0.25% to 2.56% of the daily energy intake, they were linked to a risk of ischemic heart disease of 3%.

“There is no sure level of usual consumption of these food groups.”

(Some examples of trans fats include crackers, cookies, pastries, frozen pizzas, coffee crest, refrigerated dough products and vegetable shortcuts and stick margarines, according to webmd. Some fast foods also contain it.)

The results were published in the journal Nature Medicine on June 30.

The researchers also analyzed the impact of sugary drinks, noting that drinking between 1.5 and 390 grams per day could increase the risk of type 2 diabetes by 8%. (istock)

Previous studies have established the link between processed foods and chronic diseases, recognized Haile.

“However, our study assessed the form of the relationship with the most recent studies, using a more advanced analytical method and objectively evaluated the strength of evidence,” he noted.

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“Our analysis has shown that the strongest association is observed at lower exposure levels equivalent to a portion or less, which implies that the consumption of these foods regularly increases the risk of healthy health results.”

While researchers have recognized that the diet is a “personal choice” and that some can be limited in food choices, they recommend limiting or eliminating the consumption of processed foods.

Researchers have concluded that eating as little as 0.6 to 57 grams per day was linked to an 11% greater probability of developing type 2 diabetes. (istock)

“Our results support what is widely recommended, including by WHO and CDC: avoid or reduce the consumption of processed meats, sugary drinks and artificial trans fats,” said Haile to Fox News Digital.

“People who regularly consume these foods, even in small quantities, should be aware of the increased risk of chronic diseases.”

Potential limitations

The main limits of this study are associated with the assessment of food contribution, recognized Haile.

“Almost all of the included studies have used food frequency questionnaires to assess the contribution, which can introduce measurement errors, mainly due to the difficulties encountered by respondents in the reminder of long-term contribution,” he told Fox News Digital.

Several studies included in the analysis only examined consumption at the start of the study, noted Haile – “which could not precisely reflect future eating habits of the study participants”.

When trans fatty acids represented 0.25% to 2.56% of daily energy intake, they were linked to a 3% risk of ischemic heart disease. (istock)

In addition, the study only examined a limited set of results for health for each food risk factor.

“Consequently, our study can underestimate the total loss of health associated with these foods,” said Haile.

“We have also observed a substantial variation between the existing literature, which implies that high quality research is still necessary to strengthen evidence and reduce uncertainty.”

Experts cite the warnings

Dr. Nick Norwitz, MD, PHD, clinical researcher educated at Harvard and educator in metabolic health, recognized that the study shows a “relatively coherent association” between higher processed meat consumption and worse health results, but underlined certain warnings.

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“These are associations – not necessarily causal relations,” said Norwitz, who was not involved in the study, at Fox News Digital.

In addition, as the researchers themselves recognized, the quality of the evidence was noted as “weak”, said Norwitz.

“In the end, the office donut or the Suda bottle is almost certainly more metabolic damage than a slice of cold meats.”

“Although these major studies have certain forces, a key weakness is that they bring together many different foods in a single category,” continued the researcher. “There are different ways to treat meat, and not all of them will have the same biological consequences.”

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Although it is “certainly possible” that processed meat can contribute to poor health results, Norwitz said that more research was necessary to confirm the assertions of meta-analysis.

“In the end, the office donut or the Suda bottle is almost certainly more metabolic damage than a slice of cold meats,” he added.

A hot dog, composed of almost fully transformed meat, is around 50 grams. (istock)

A spokesperson for the American Association of Meat Processors (AAMP) sent the declaration below to Fox News Digital concerning the study.

“We have not read the (complete) report, but the summary in the article itself stipulates that the affirmations reflect” weak relationships or evidence of inconsistency “and that more research is necessary. We would like to know how the article defined” processed meat “, or if the researchers weighed supposed risks against the proven advantages of nutrients and proteins found in meat.”

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In the study, the researchers defined the transformed meat as “any meat preserved by smoking, hardening, salting or the addition of chemical conservatives”.

Fox News Digital also contacted the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to comment.