Ultra-processed foods could be linked to thousands of UK deaths a year

Thousands of UK deaths each year could be linked to the consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs), analysis suggests.
Experts believe there is a relationship between people eating UPFs - such as processed meats, ice cream and crisps - and an increased risk of early death.
UPFs often contain high levels of saturated fat, salt, sugar and additives, which researchers said leaves less room in people's diets for more nutritious foods.
The analysis suggested that in 2018-19, some 17,781 premature deaths in the UK could have been linked to UPFs.
Such foods also tend to include ingredients that are not normally used when people cook from scratch - including preservatives, emulsifiers and artificial colours and flavours.
Other examples of UPFs include mass-produced bread, some breakfast cereals, biscuits, ready meals and fizzy drinks.
UPFs have previously been linked to an increased risk of early death and a range of health issues, including obesity, heart disease, cancer and diabetes.
However, some experts say it is not clear why UPFs are linked to poor health and more studies will be needed "to establish the mechanisms involved".
The latest study, published in the American Journal Of Preventive Medicine, calls on governments to issue dietary recommendations aimed at cutting consumption of UPFs.
In analysing data from eight countries, it was found UPFs made up 53% of people's energy intake in the UK - the second highest after 55% in the US.
In Colombia, which has a lower consumption of UPFs, premature deaths attributable to these types of foods was 4%.
But premature deaths from UPFs jumped to 14% for the UK and the US, according to the research.
Lead researcher Eduardo Nilson, from the scientific body the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation in Brazil, said the study found "each 10% increase in the participation of UPFs in the diet increases the risk of death from all causes by 3%".
Nerys Astbury, associate professor from the University Of Oxford, said it is known that consuming diets higher in calories, fat and sugar can have detrimental effects on health, including premature mortality.
"More research is needed to ascertain a causal link between UPF and disease and to establish the mechanisms involved," she added.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Daily Mail​

09-06-2025

• Daily Mail​

Good news for gardeners! Scientists have uncovered a simple way to boost plant growth - and all you need is a speaker

Gardeners will try almost anything to help their plants grow. From fancy compost to strict watering times or a regular pruning schedule, there are plenty of ways to give flowers a boost. Some even resort to talking to their plants, convinced they 'respond to vibrations'. But scientists have uncovered a simple way to promote growth – and all you need is a speaker. Experts have found that playing music to plants can make them grow heavier and leafier. However, picking the right playlist is of the utmost importance. A study has found that classical music, such as Bach concertos, boost growth while plants exposed to rock music grow more poorly. 'Playing music to plants is not as crazy as it may sound at first,' Charles Spence, a professor of experimental psychology at the University of Oxford and co-author of the paper, told The Times. The team suggest that a combination of sound frequencies, the tempo of the music and the instruments involved may have the power to stimulate or curb plant growth. For the research, scientists analysed pak choi plants – a type of Chinese cabbage – that were played rock music, classical music or no music at all in bursts throughout the day. The classical selection was Bach's Brandenburg Concertos, considered masterful examples of balance between assorted groups of soloists and a small orchestra. Instrumental rock and metal was used for the other musical group. Everything else that could affect plant growth, such as temperature, humidity and lighting, was strictly controlled and kept the same for all plants in the study. After a six-week study period, the researchers found that the plants played classical music ended up significantly larger, with an average dry weight of 8.99g. Meanwhile those played no music weighed 6.33g on average, while plants played rock music weighed only 3.12g on average. The pak choi that had been exposed to classical music also produced the highest number of leaves, with an average of almost 17 each compared with only 10 leaves for the plants that were played rock. Pak choi Also known as Chinese cabbage, pak choi is a leafy green vegetable. It can be used as baby leaves in salads or as larger rosettes in a stir fry. It can be grown in as little as four weeks. The plant is in season all year round but prefers cool, damp conditions. Analysis of the roots also showed that plants exposed to classical music had the highest total root volume, measuring 90 cubic centimetres – three times more than those played instrumental rock, which reached only 30 cubic centimetres. The plants grown in silence, however, recorded total root volume of 77 cubic centimetres. The team was led by plant scientists and music experts at the University of Malaya in Kuala Lumpur and University Putra Malaysia. They said there was 'promise' around the use of classical music to help stimulate plant growth. 'Classical music may have an effect on plant growth because plants are attuned to vibrations, such as the vibrations of running water in soil, and they react to them biologically,' Professor Spence added. 'Meanwhile the different frequencies in rock music may fall outside the sonic range which boosts plant growth.' He also said that classical music might 'make gardening a more pleasant experience'. Previous studies have also found that plants tend to grow in the direction of soothing music and away from rock music. The findings were published in the journal Evolutionary Studies in Imaginative Culture. The scientists wrote: 'The results reveal that those plants exposed to classical music exhibited significant differences in shoot characteristics with the highest total fresh weight, shoot fresh weight, and mean leaf numbers. 'Meanwhile, those plants exposed to rock music demonstrated values that were the lowest across all plant parameters. 'Despite the promise around the use of classical music to help stimulate plant growth, further studies are undoubtedly still needed before any firm conclusions regarding the potential benefits of exposing plants to an acoustic stimulus can be drawn.'

The Independent

09-06-2025

• The Independent

Vaccine fast-tracked for virus that kills up to 85% of people it infects

A vaccine developed by scientists at the University of Oxford for the deadly Nipah virus may soon be available to patients. The University of Oxford 's vaccine has been granted support from the European Medicines Agency's Prime scheme, which aims to fast track the delivery of treatments to people through closer collaboration with regulators. The World Health Organisation considers Nipah a research priority due to its pandemic potential. The virus is fatal in up to 85% of cases, initially causing symptoms such as fever, headaches, pain, vomiting, and sore throat, but can later lead to fatal brain swelling. Nipah can be transmitted to humans from animals (such as bats or pigs), or contaminated foods and can also be transmitted directly from human to human. The University of Oxford is currently putting its jab for Nipah through phase 1 testing after promising earlier results. It is the first UK academic institution to get access to the Prime scheme from the EMA. Oxford said the additional support offered by Prime "has been granted on the basis of compelling preclinical data and preliminary clinical evidence, and will help to accelerate the development and regulatory approval" of the vaccine. In its letter of confirmation to Oxford investigators, the EMA said: "Nipah virus disease in humans is associated with significant morbidity and a high mortality rate and consequent public health impact. "The increasing frequency of human encounters with fruit bats and spillover into densely populated areas is expanding opportunities for Nipah virus transmission, heightening its outbreak potential." Professor Brian Angus, chief investigator of the Oxford Nipah Vaccine Programme at the Oxford Vaccine Group, said: "This targeted regulatory support for our vaccine programme is a huge boost to the search for a solution to Nipah virus outbreaks. "We are hopeful that the results of these trials will pave the way for us to be able to protect some of the populations most at risk, while also helping the world avoid a future global pandemic." Nipah was first recognised in 1999 during an outbreak among pig farmers in Malaysia. It was also found in Bangladesh in 2001, and nearly annual outbreaks have occurred in that country since. The disease has also occured in eastern India. Evidence of the virus has been found in bat species in a number of countries, including Cambodia, Ghana, Indonesia, Madagascar, the Philippines and Thailand.

Daily Mirror

09-06-2025

• Daily Mirror

Jab update as virus with 'pandemic potential' kills up to 85%

Early symptoms include headaches and fever, but it can get a lot worse A vaccine for the deadly Nipah virus, which has the potential to cause a pandemic, could reach patients sooner thanks to scientists at the University of Oxford. The university's jab for the Nipah virus has received backing from the European Medicines Agency's Prime scheme. This initiative aims to speed up the delivery of treatments to patients by fostering earlier and closer ties with regulators. ‌ The World Health Organisation recognises Nipah as a research priority due to its pandemic potential. ‌ The virus can be fatal in up to 85% of cases, initially causing symptoms such as fever, headaches, pain, vomiting and a sore throat, but later leading to lethal brain swelling. Nipah can spread to humans from animals like bats or pigs, contaminated food, or directly from human to human. The University of Oxford is currently conducting phase one testing on its Nipah jab following promising early results. It is the first UK academic institution to gain access to the EMA's Prime scheme. Oxford stated that the additional support provided by Prime "has been granted on the basis of compelling preclinical data and preliminary clinical evidence, and will help to accelerate the development and regulatory approval" of the vaccine. In its letter of confirmation to Oxford investigators, the EMA said: "Nipah virus disease in humans is associated with significant morbidity and a high mortality rate and consequent public health impact." Reports are suggesting that the increase in human contact with fruit bats coupled with their incursion into densely populated areas is amplifying the threat of Nipah virus outbreaks. ‌ Professor Brian Angus, chief investigator of the Oxford Nipah Vaccine Programme at the Oxford Vaccine Group, welcomed the development, saying: "This targeted regulatory support for our vaccine programme is a huge boost to the search for a solution to Nipah virus outbreaks." He also expressed optimism in vaccine research: "We are hopeful that the results of these trials will pave the way for us to be able to protect some of the populations most at risk, while also helping the world avoid a future global pandemic." First identified during an epidemic among pig farmers in Malaysia in 1999, the Nipah virus has since become an ongoing concern. It was similarly observed in Bangladesh in 2001 and has nefariously reared its head nearly every year since. What's more, traces of this dangerous pathogen have been detected in fruit bat species across various countries, stretching from Cambodia to Thailand.