A recent study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that more than 10% of all-cause premature, avoidable deaths in Brazil in 2019 were linked to increased intake of Ultra-processed foods (UPFs).

Experts used data from 2019 and performed statistical studies to determine the percentage of overall deaths related to the use of UPFs and the effects of reducing UPF intake by 10%, 20%, and 50% within those age categories.

In 2019, there were 541,260 premature deaths among individuals aged 30 to 69, of which preventable, non-communicable diseases caused 261,061. The model found that UPFs may have contributed to about 57,000 deaths that year, or 10.5% of all premature deaths and 21.8% of all deaths from preventable non-communicable diseases in people aged 30 to 69.

It was found that avoiding or stopping UPF use by 10% to 50% might potentially stop 5,900 to 29,300 deaths in Brazil prematurely each year.

Hence it is imperative to decrease the consumption of UPFs and encourage healthier food choices, which may necessitate a variety of interventions and public health measures, including monetary and regulatory policies, altering the food environment, stepping up the implementation of food-based dietary guidelines, and enhancing consumer awareness, attitudes, and behavior.

(Source: https://www.news-medical.net/news/20221107/Increased-consumption-of-ultraprocessed-foods-associated-with-premature-preventable-deaths.aspx)