Eating ultra-processed foods can affect how quickly you age. Image credit: KARIM SAHIB/Getty Images Ultra-processed foods are associated with poor nutritional quality and potential health risks. Now, new research suggests that high consumption of ultra-processed foods is also associated with significantly accelerated biological aging, which may lead to chronic diseases and shortened lifespans. The low nutritional value of highly processed foods only partially explains and suggests this association. This suggests that factors other than the lack of nutrients in these foods may negatively impact our biological aging.
A recent study of more than 22,000 Italian adults suggests that eating lots of ultra-processed foods can speed up biological aging.
Biological aging provides a more accurate picture of our physical health than simply looking at age in years, and can be influenced by lifestyle choices such as diet.
The low nutritional value of ultra-processed foods was only weakly associated with this association, suggesting that other aspects of these foods may accelerate biological aging.
Researchers suggest that “non-nutritive properties” may be partly to blame, such as:
The researchers analyzed data from the Morisani Study, a large population-based study conducted in a region of southern Italy from 2005 to 2010.
The Morisani study investigated people’s eating habits using a detailed food frequency questionnaire covering 188 foods.
Ultra-processed foods were identified using the Nova classification, measured as a percentage of total food consumed daily, and consumption was categorized into five levels from high to low.
This score is associated with a higher intake of traditional Mediterranean diet foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, and fish, while lower intake of meat and dairy products compared to the median of the study group. Based on.
For this analysis, the researchers used a machine learning program that examined 36 blood biomarkers to determine the biological age of the participants.
These blood markers include:
The researchers aimed to estimate how quickly individuals age biologically by comparing their biological age to their actual age.
We then used statistical methods to analyze this age difference, taking into account known risk factors.
The final sample analyzed included 11,726 women (52%) and 10,769 men (48%).
Their mean chronological age was 55.6 years, and their mean biological age was 54.9 years. Therefore, the age difference (biological age minus chronological age) was approximately 0.70 years.
Participants reported that ultra-processed foods accounted for an average of 10.7% of the weight of their diet and contributed 18.2% of their total caloric intake.
Some of the foods that contributed the most to ultra-processed food intake in this group of Italians were:
Processed meat (17.6%) Cakes, pies and pastries (14.2%) Fruit drinks (10.9%)
Compared to those who consumed the least amount of ultra-processed foods, those who consumed the most were generally younger, more educated, less active, lived in urban areas, and were more likely to have no chronic health conditions.
However, this does not mean that eating more ultra-processed foods is healthier.
Rather, it emphasizes that as people age and face health problems due to poor diet and lack of exercise, they often modify their lifestyles to maintain health and fight disease.
In an analysis that adjusted for multiple variables, the researchers found that the highest intakes (top 5) of ultra-processed foods were associated with accelerated biological aging, compared with the lowest intakes. They found that the average age increases by 0.34 years.
Overall, a diet in which ultra-processed foods accounted for 14% or more of total calories was associated with accelerated biological aging, according to the body clock using 36 blood biomarkers.
This association was slightly reduced when subterranean eclipse scores were included in the model.
Due to the one-time snapshot and observational design of this study, causality cannot be established. Additionally, limitations of self-reported dietary information and food questionnaires in measuring ultra-processed food intake may lead to biased results.
Additionally, the results may not be generalizable to other populations with different dietary patterns and lifestyles.
Still, this study is consistent with previous research and adds to the existing body of evidence highlighting the potential negative effects of ultra-processed food consumption on health and aging.
Ultra-processed foods include foods that are known to be less healthy, such as sugary drinks and fast foods, as well as commercial products such as fruit-on-the-bottom yogurt and packaged bread.
These foods generally have low nutritional value. They tend to be high in sugar, salt, unhealthy fats, and additives, and lack the fiber, micronutrients, and bioactive compounds found in whole foods and minimally processed foods.
According to the study authors, these ultra-processed foods not only have low nutritional value, but also have non-nutritive properties that can be harmful to human health.
“The intense processing of ultra-processed foods disrupts the natural structure, or matrix, of the whole food,” explains Thomas M. Holland, MD, MS, a physician-scientist and assistant professor at RUSH University’s RUSH Institute for Healthy Aging. do. The University of Health Sciences, which was not involved in the study, said in an interview with Medical News Today.
Expanding on this point, Alyssa Simpson, RDN, CGN, CLT is a Digestive Health Dietitian in Phoenix, Arizona. Although not involved in this study, we discussed with MNT how the breakdown of the food matrix affects food absorption.
“Disorganizing the food matrix of ultra-processed foods destroys the structure of natural nutrients and fibers, reduces the diversity of beneficial microorganisms, and promotes the growth of pathogenic (bad) bacteria in the gut. This disruption This promotes rapid carbohydrate digestion, which can impair glucose tolerance (the body’s ability to effectively process sugar), leading to spikes in blood sugar and inflammation. These changes can accelerate the cellular aging process and increase susceptibility to age-related diseases.”
“These compounds increase oxidative stress and inflammation, damage cellular structures, and impair metabolic function,” he explained.
He pointed out that “the ongoing low-grade inflammation and cellular stress caused by these toxic byproducts accelerates the body’s aging clock, independent of traditional dietary nutrients.”
In addition, Holland highlighted how substances that come into contact with food can also affect biological aging.
“Packaging materials often contain endocrine disruptors such as bisphenols and phthalates, which can migrate into foods during long-term storage, especially in ultra-processed products. over time, these disruptions can weaken cellular function, cause insulin resistance, and promote inflammation, all of which This can lead to accelerated aging and age-related diseases such as metabolic and cardiovascular diseases.
“Among ultra-processed foods, sugary drinks, processed meats, and packaged snacks (such as potato chips and pastries) are the main culprits associated with accelerated aging,” Simpon said.
“These foods are high in sugar, unhealthy fats, and chemical additives, all of which promote inflammation, oxidative stress, and disruption of your gut microbiome,” she says.
To reduce the harmful effects of ultra-processed foods, she offered some tips to consider.
Focus on minimally processed, whole foods (fresh vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean proteins) Prepare meals at home to avoid packaged and ready-to-eat foods and additives, Read ingredient labels to avoid preservatives and artificial ingredients. Use glass or stainless steel storage containers instead of plastic to reduce exposure to harmful compounds.
Additionally, to reduce the effects of occasionally consuming ultra-processed foods, Simpson recommends consuming:
“These foods support gut health, stabilize blood sugar levels, reduce inflammation, and help offset cellular stress and oxidative damage,” she said.
People facing high stress, depression, or limited resources may turn to ultra-processed foods for affordability, convenience, or emotional coping, Simpson noted. .
She said, “These people may experience accelerated aging not only due to diet, but also lifestyle factors such as chronic stress, reduced access to health care, and limited social support.”
“Promoting healthy aging may require a holistic approach that addresses both diet quality and broader lifestyle factors that influence food choices,” she concludes. Ta.
