Harvard University researchers have published a study saying people who eat processed meats risk an early death.
The study published in the British Medical Journal is based on dietary data from more than 100,000 clients of health professionals in the United States, clients without a history of major illnesses.
They categorized diets into four groups: unprocessed, minimally processed, processed and “ultra-processed foods.”
Participants reported their lifestyle habits and health every two years over a 30-year span.
While “ultra-processed foods” showed a four per cent increase in mortality risk, not all categories within the group had the same effect. Whole grain “ultra-processed foods” didn't pose the same risks as sugary beverages or processed meats, the study showed.
The study also found associations between “ultra-processed foods” and organ-specific causes of death, including an ab eight per cent increase in the risk of death from brain diseases such as dementia.
