Ultra‑processed foods, biological ageing, and all‑cause mortality risk: a prospective cohort study using 172,225 participants from UK Biobank

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A new UPF study:

Here’s a clear and digestible summary of the key findings from the research paper titled “Ultra-processed foods, biological ageing, and all-cause mortality risk: a prospective cohort study using 172,225 participants from UK Biobank” (published July 28, 2025 in GeroScience):

Study Design & Objectives

  • Participants & Data: The study tracked 172,225 UK Biobank participants, using 24-hour dietary recalls to assess intake of ultra-processed foods (UPFs), classified via the NOVA system. Mortality outcomes were analyzed using Cox proportional hazards models. Biological ageing was quantified using PhenoAge acceleration. (ResearchGate)
  • Key Aims:
    1. Determine how UPF intake correlates with all-cause mortality.
    2. Assess whether biological ageing (PhenoAge acceleration) mediates or modifies this relationship.

Principal Findings

1. Higher UPF Intake Linked to Increased Mortality

  • Participants consuming more than 8 servings/day of UPF had a 15% higher risk of death compared to those consuming ≤ 3.5 servings/day. (Hazard Ratio [HR] = 1.15; 95% CI: 1.07–1.23). (ResearchGate)

2. Specific UPF Categories Show Varied Effects

  • Plant-based UPFs: HR = 1.02 (95% CI: 1.01–1.03)—modest but statistically significant link.
  • Artificial sweeteners: HR = 1.05 (95% CI: 1.03–1.08).
  • Beverages: HR = 1.04 (95% CI: 1.03–1.05). (ResearchGate)

3. Biological Ageing Mediates UPF Effects

  • PhenoAge acceleration accounted for:
    • 14.4% of the risk from total UPF intake.
    • 27.5% of the risk from artificial sweetener intake.
    • 8.3% of the risk from beverage-related UPF intake. (ResearchGate)

4. Interaction Between UPF Intake and Biological Ageing

  • There was a significant additive interaction: those with high consumption (> 1 serving/day) plus accelerated biological ageing faced even greater mortality risk (Relative Excess Risk due to Interaction [RERI] = 0.21; 95% CI: 0.01–0.41).
  • Interestingly, breakfast cereals appeared to show a protective interaction. (ResearchGate)

Implications & Takeaways

  • UPFs likely elevate mortality risk partly through accelerating biological ageing.
  • The strength of associations varies by UPF type—artificial sweeteners appear especially detrimental.
  • Biological ageing not only mediates but also amplifies the negative impact of UPFs.
  • The (possibly) protective role of certain breakfast cereals opens questions for future research.

Broader Context

  • A separate UK Biobank study (earlier cohort, fewer participants) similarly found that higher UPF intake is linked with increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) and all-cause mortality (HR ≈1.17 for CVD; HR ≈1.22 for all-cause mortality) over ~11 years of follow-up. (UK Biobank, PubMed)

If you’d like, I can also walk you through the methodology in more detail, compare it with findings from related studies, or explore implications for diet policy and public health.

Full paper:

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