The study assessed the long‑term association between high consumption of ultra‑processed foods and the risk of cardiovascular death (CVD). The prospective analysis included data from participants in the Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study (39,544 participants; mean age 55.1 years, 60 % women). Dietary intake was assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire, followed by categorisation of foods according to the NOVA system. Participants were followed up for a mean of 25.1 years (a total of 919,379 person‑years), during which 4,229 CVD cases were recorded. Risk analysis was performed using Fine and Gray competing risks models. The results showed that participants with the highest proportion of ultra‑processed food consumption had a 19 % higher risk of CVD compared to the group with the lowest consumption: HR 1.19 (95 % CI: 1.09–1.29; p < 0.001). The association remained statistically significant after multivariable adjustment for sociodemographic parameters, smoking, physical activity, and concomitant metabolic disorders. The authors conclude that reducing the proportion of ultra‑processed foods in favour of minimally processed whole foods is an important component of a population‑level strategy for CVD prevention.
European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, Volume 32, Issue 16, November 2025, Pages 1564–1572, https://doi.org/10.1093/eurjpc/zwaf378
