A new clinical consensus statement from the European Society of Cardiology is calling for doctors to pay closer attention to ultra-processed foods when assessing cardiovascular risk, arguing that food processing should sit alongside traditional nutrient-based advice in routine diet discussions.
The statement, published on May 7, 2026 and highlighted by News Medical, says adults with the highest ultra-processed food consumption have up to a 19% higher risk of heart disease, a 13% higher risk of atrial fibrillation, and up to a 65% increased risk of cardiovascular death compared with those with the lowest intake. The authors also say ultra-processed foods are linked to obesity, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and unhealthy blood fats.
According to the report, ultra-processed foods now make up a substantial share of calories in several European countries, including 54% in the UK. The authors say many national dietary guidelines still focus mainly on nutrients and do not directly address food processing, leaving a gap between current evidence and everyday clinical advice.
Why clinicians are being urged to ask about ultra-processed foods
The consensus statement says healthcare professionals treating patients with cardiovascular disease, or those at elevated risk, should ask about ultra-processed food consumption as part of dietary assessment. It also recommends that doctors discuss cutting back on these products alongside advice on physical activity, smoking and alcohol use.
The report warns that foods marketed as healthier can still be ultra-processed, and says better public understanding will depend on clearer food labelling, food regulation and updated guidance. The authors argue that prevention should not focus only on nutrients, because the degree of processing may also matter for heart health.
Evidence is growing, but more trials are needed
The experts behind the statement say the associations between ultra-processed foods and cardiovascular disease are consistent across large and diverse populations, but they note that most of the evidence comes from observational research rather than long-term intervention trials. They call for more studies to test whether reducing ultra-processed foods can directly improve cardiovascular outcomes.
While the report is centred on heart health, it also reinforces a broader shift in nutrition research: attention is moving from single nutrients toward overall dietary patterns and the role of industrial processing. For clinicians, that may mean a more practical conversation with patients about swapping packaged, highly processed products for whole or minimally processed foods.
For patients in the UK, the message is likely to resonate beyond cardiology clinics. With ultra-processed foods accounting for a large share of calories in the UK diet, the new guidance adds urgency to a question already shaping public health policy: not just what people eat, but how much their food has been changed before it reaches the plate.
