A study of 311,892 people from eight European countries over an average of 10.9 years found that every 10% increase in ultra-processed foods in a person’s diet is linked to a 17% rise in type 2 diabetes risk

>The highest risk UPF groups were savoury snacks, animal-based products such as processed meats, ready meals, and sugar-sweetened and artificially-sweetened beverages, suggesting that particular attention should be paid to these foods to help tackle ill-health.

>The exact causes of the link between UPF and type 2 diabetes are unconfirmed, though several factors are thought to be at play including overconsumption and weight gain. In a previous study, backed up by new analysis in this study, increased body fat accounted for around half the association

>“The good news is that replacing UPF with less processed foods was associated with a reduced type 2 diabetes risk.”

Paper: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lanepe.2024.101043

If only there was a shared definition of Ultra Processed Foods.