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a diet made mostly of highly-processed foods may lead to early death

toronto-based dietitian andy de santis says following the 80/20 rule can help ensure you are eating healthy, while not depriving yourself.

by karen hawthorne

nov 11 2022
read time 4 minute read
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sometimes you just have to enjoy a food for what it is
ultra-processed foods are made from “industrial formulations” of substances derived from oils, fats, sugars, starch and protein isolates, according to the study. getty

you might want to think twice about reaching for a frozen dinner tonight. according to experts, processed foods are not conducive to a long life. in fact, not only are processed meats, cookies and chips linked to diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer, but research out of brazil, published in the american journal of preventive medicine , has found that making these foods part of a regular diet also increases your risk of an early death.

nutrition and public health scientists from the university of são paulo and the universidade federal de são paulo reported that in 2019, more than 10 per cent of annual premature deaths in brazil — 57,000 people between age 30 to 69 — can be linked to the consumption of ultra-processed food.
the researchers developed a risk assessment model from a recent analysis that compared the mortality risk for people who ate significant amounts of processed food with that of people who ate very small amounts of processed food. they then used the model to analyze national food consumption trends for 2017 to 2018 and demographic and mortality data for 2019, and tabulate the number of premature deaths that could have been prevented if people had made healthier food choices.

diabetes and kidney disease linked to premature deaths

while heart disease is likely among the main contributors to these premature deaths, the study’s lead author, eduardo nilson, told nbc news , other diseases like diabetes, obesity, chronic kidney disease and cancer are also connected and could impact the estimated death toll.

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ultra-processed foods are made from “industrial formulations” of substances derived from oils, fats, sugars, starch and protein isolates, according to the study. they typically have few to no actual whole foods and are packed with flavourings, colours and other additives to make them appealing and give them a long shelf life.

nilson told nbc that the problematic ultra-processed foods brazilians eat regularly are mass-produced breads, cakes, cookies and pies, and meat products like hotdogs, hamburgers and ham. margarine is also on the list, along with salted crackers, pizza and sugar-sweetened beverages. in fact, the researchers reported that 25 per cent of brazil’s adults consume up to half of their daily calories from ultra-processed food — changing that to less than 23 per cent of their daily calories could prevent roughly 20,000 fewer premature deaths each year.

andy de santis , a registered dietitian in toronto, and author of several nutrition books including the recent the essential diet for fatty liver nutrition guide and recipes , says the study findings are not surprising.

“when the contribution of daily calories is too high from foods that aren’t offering much, risk of death by any cause is higher,” he says.
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so, what are the worst offenders?
while the study doesn’t definitively prove the effect of dietary choices on health outcomes, de santis says that highly processed foods linked to disease generally fall within three categories: sugar-sweetened beverages, processed meats and refined grains and baked goods.
“sugar-sweetened beverages, the pop and fruit-flavoured drinks not to be confused with a 100 per cent fruit juice,” he says, adding these can impact blood sugar and liver function, for example.
next on the list is processed meat, like sausages, salami and ham, which have a high sodium content, preservatives and high saturated fat content, are associated with a higher risk of colorectal cancer. and then there’s refined grains and baked goods, which he says, “like your cookies and your cakes, raise your blood sugar very quickly because they have highly refined carbohydrates in them without much fibre.” over time, de santis notes that this can cause issues with blood sugar levels that can lead to prediabetes and other complications.

follow the 80/20 rule

but de santis, who often has a small bag of potato chips with dinner, cautions that these foods are only problematic if they’re being consumed so much that they displace more important foods like lean proteins, nuts and seeds, fruits and vegetables, and fibre-rich carbohydrates. healthy and sustainable eating “is not about demonizing certain foods” or a restrictive diet, but developing a healthy relationship with food, he says.

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“there are a lot of people who are burdened by fear over food and have a poor relationship with food where there is going to be collateral damage or unintended consequences of this for their health,” he says.
as a general guide, he recommends the “80/20 rule”: you eat healthy 80 per cent of the time and indulge 20 per cent of the time.
“as the study authors said, if people can reduce the highly processed food to 23 per cent, the number of premature deaths would drop, says de santis. “the science really bears out that the 80/20 rule is a legitimate concept with nutrition.”

some healthy options to reach for

“legumes like lentils help lower blood sugar levels and lower blood cholesterol levels and they’re very filling — high in nutrients that people tend not to get enough of, like magnesium, potassium, calcium, fibre,” he says. “you can also buy them as a roasted and salted snack that’s a very, close replacement for chips if you’re looking for a snack.”
you can also make a wholesome pizza, using a whole grain pita and tomato sauce from the supermarket, adding some skim cheese, sardines or a vegan meat alternative.
“for some foods, there aren’t clear replacements, so sometimes you have to just enjoy something for what it is, and then think about what you’re going to eat the rest of the time,” he says.

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karen hawthorne is a toronto-based writer.
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karen hawthorne
karen hawthorne

karen hawthorne worked for six years as a digital editor for the national post, contributing articles on health, business, culture and travel for affiliated newspapers across canada. she now writes from her home office in toronto as a freelancer, and takes breaks to bounce with her son on the backyard trampoline and walk bingo, her bull terrier.

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