Adults who consume high amounts of ultra-processed foods face a 67 percent greater risk of heart attack, stroke, or death from heart disease, according to a major new study published in JACC: Advances and presented at the American College of Cardiology’s (ACC) Annual Scientific Session in late March 2026.
The research analyzed data from 6,814 adults between the ages of 45 and 84, none of whom had cardiovascular disease at the start of the study, and tracked their dietary habits and cardiac health outcomes over an average of 12 years. Participants who consumed the most ultra-processed foods averaged 9.3 servings per day, compared with 1.1 servings among those in the lowest intake group.
Each additional daily serving of ultra-processed food was associated with a 5.1 percent increase in the risk of serious cardiac events, including non-fatal heart attacks, strokes, and resuscitated cardiac arrest, even after researchers controlled for calorie intake, overall diet quality, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and obesity.
Ultra-processed foods are defined under the NOVA classification system as industrial formulations typically made from substances extracted or chemically modified from whole foods, and include chips, crackers, frozen meals, processed meats, sugary drinks, breakfast cereals, and packaged breads.
The study’s lead author, Dr. Amier Haidar of the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, said the persistence of the risk even after adjusting for so many variables suggests that the degree of food processing itself, not just the nutritional content, may play a direct role in cardiovascular harm.
The risk increase was more pronounced among Black Americans, who saw a 6.1 percent rise in cardiovascular risk per additional serving, compared with 3.2 percent among non-Black participants. Researchers attributed this disparity in part to minority-targeted food marketing and unequal access to less-processed food options in certain communities.
Researchers cautioned that the study relied on self-reported dietary data and did not examine the specific biological mechanisms involved, though earlier research points to inflammation, visceral fat accumulation, and disruption of gut health as likely pathways. The study shows a correlation rather than direct causation.
Health experts recommend reading food labels carefully and shifting toward dietary patterns built around whole grains, vegetables, fruits, legumes, and nuts, while limiting consistent reliance on packaged and convenience foods.
