Study Links Ultra-Processed Foods to Poorer Diets Among Adults, Adolescents
Poorer dietary quality among adults and adolescents is linked to higher intake of ultra-processed foods, with adults also showing a slightly higher body mass index (BMI), according to a study by researchers from the University of Gothenburg in Sweden.
The study, conducted in collaboration with the Swedish Food Agency, found that people who obtained a larger share of their daily energy from ultra-processed foods tended to consume more added sugar and less fiber and whole grains.
Researchers said these dietary patterns are associated with increased risks of health conditions such as cardiovascular disease.
However, the study also raised questions about how ultra-processed foods are defined, warning that the internationally used NOVA classification system may place nutritionally different products under the same category.
The research analyzed data from Sweden’s national dietary surveys, covering adults aged 18 to 80, adolescents aged 11 to 17, and young children aged 1.5 to 4.
Classification makes a difference
The researchers found that estimates of ultra-processed food consumption varied considerably depending on how the NOVA classification system was applied.
Under a broader interpretation, ultra-processed foods accounted for an average of 45% of daily energy intake among adults, 52% among adolescents, and 46% among young children.
Under a stricter interpretation, which excluded foods whose classification was considered ambiguous, the estimated contribution dropped to between 23% and 29% of total energy intake.
The difference highlights the difficulty of defining ultra-processed foods consistently, particularly because the category includes products with widely varying nutritional profiles.
These range from soft drinks, processed meats and confectionery to breakfast cereals and industrially produced whole-grain bread.
Linnea Bärebring, a dietitian and associate professor of clinical nutrition at the University of Gothenburg, said the classification itself remains a subject of scientific discussion.
“Ultra-processed foods have received a great deal of attention in recent years, but the concept itself is a subject of debate,” Bärebring said.
She noted that researchers continue to examine the challenges of classifying foods as ultra-processed and what aspects of a person’s diet the classification actually captures.
More sugar, less fiber and whole grains
The study found that adults with a higher proportion of ultra-processed foods in their diets generally had poorer nutritional profiles and slightly higher BMI.
Torsten Sällström, a dietitian and doctoral student at the University of Gothenburg, said the researchers observed a clear difference in the nutritional composition of diets among people with higher consumption of these products.
“We observed that those who derived a larger share of their energy from ultra-processed foods also had a diet containing significantly more added sugar, but less fiber and whole grains,” Sällström said.
He added that this dietary pattern is known to be associated with an increased risk of conditions such as cardiovascular disease.
Adolescents who consumed more ultra-processed foods also had diets with poorer nutritional content.
However, researchers did not observe a similar association between ultra-processed food consumption and BMI among younger age groups.
Not all ultra-processed foods are nutritionally poor
The findings also revealed why classifying foods solely according to their level of processing can be misleading.
Among young children, those with higher consumption of ultra-processed foods had higher intakes of iron and vitamin E.
Researchers attributed this partly to fortified ready-to-eat products for children, including cereal-based gruel and porridge, which are classified as ultra-processed under the NOVA system.
Emma Patterson, a nutritionist at the Swedish Food Agency and an associate professor of public health nutrition at Karolinska Institutet, cautioned against interpreting the classification as a blanket warning against all products in the category.
“It would be unfortunate if parents were to avoid fortified porridge or gruel simply because they are labeled as ultra-processed,” Patterson said.
The Swedish Food Agency has long recommended limiting nutrient-poor, energy-dense foods such as soft drinks, candy, baked goods, chips and processed meat products.
However, it does not specifically advise consumers to avoid every food that may fall under the ultra-processed category because some products also provide important nutrients. The study underscores the importance of looking beyond food-processing labels and considering the actual nutritional content of what people eat.
The distinction matters because a product’s classification as ultra-processed does not automatically mean it has the same nutritional value or potential health implications as every other food in that category.
Reference: Sällström, T., et al. (2026). Intake of ultra-processed foods in Sweden and its association with diet quality and weight status: cross-sectional analyses from three national dietary surveys. Nutrition Journal. DOI: 10.1186/s12937-026-01408-5. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12937-026-01408-5
About The Author
