4 in 10 Heart and Stroke Deaths in Canada Linked to Ultra-Processed Foods: Study

Highly processed foods now make up 43 percent of the average Canadian diet, according to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. Photo by beats1 via Shutterstock

Nearly 40 percent of heart disease and stroke incidents in Canada can be linked to the excessive intake of ultra-processed foods like chips, frozen pizza, and soft drinks, a new study suggests.

Ultra-processed food products (UPF) now represent nearly half (43.4 percent) of the total daily energy intake of Canadians adults on average, according to the report commissioned by the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada.

While high consumption of ultra-processed foods has previously been linked to an increased risk of chronic disease, this is the first Canadian study linking the burden of these diseases, including the risk of death and disability, to the consumption of such foods.

The correlation between ultra-processed foods and cardiovascular disease is especially high, according to the study led by Dr. Jean-Claude Moubarac from the Université de Montréal.

Cardiovascular disease is any disease involving the heart or blood vessels and can run the range from high blood pressure to cardiac arrest. Other common outcomes of the disease are heart attack, stroke, aneurysm, and peripheral artery disease.

“Our results are disheartening,” Moubarac said in a Feb. 25 press release. “Canadians consume a lot of UPF — almost half of their daily energy intake. Considering the substantial burden of heart disease and stroke on Canadian society, we urgently need policies and interventions to reduce consumption as well as exposure to UPF in our food environments.”

Adult diets high in ultra-processed foods account for an estimated 37 percent of all new coronary heart disease and stroke cases and 38 percent of all deaths, the study found. In 2019, that equated to 96,043 new cases of heart disease and stroke and 17,417 deaths attributed to these conditions.

What is Ultra-Processed Food?

Ultra-processed foods go through multiple processes such as extrusion, molding, and milling, and contain many added ingredients that are highly manipulated, according to the Heart & Stroke Foundation. They are designed to create durable, convenient, and appealing products and are typically high in sodium, sugar, and saturated and trans-fats.

They may also contain emulsifiers, preservatives, and food colourants that are harmful to human health and tend to be lacking in fibre, vitamins, and minerals, the study says.

Common examples of ultra-processed foods are packaged snacks, sugary cereals, ice cream, candy, fries, hot dogs, chicken nuggets, packaged soups, instant noodles, and frozen dinners.

The research team led by Moubarac also studied what would happen if Canadians increased or decreased their consumption of ultra-processed foods.

They found that if Canadians decreased their intake by 50 percent, an estimated 45,000 new cases of heart disease and stroke could be avoided and more than 8,000 lives could be save each year.

“Even a 20 percent decrease in UPF consumption would have positive benefits, reducing the burden of heart disease and stroke linked to UPF by 17 percent and saving over 3,000 lives each year,” he said.

A 50 percent increase, however, would elevate the incidence of heart disease and stroke linked to ultra-processed foods to 45 percent of new cases, 45 percent of deaths, and 45 percent of years of life lost or impacted by disability.

“This would be nearly 3,500 additional deaths per year,” Moubarac said.

The researchers are calling on the government to implement policies to help Canadians reduce their consumption of ultra-processed foods. They suggest restricting the marketing of such products, especially to children, putting higher taxes on sugary drinks, and implementing subsidies to lower the cost of fruits and vegetables.

Choosing the Right Foods

It is estimated that nearly 80 percent of premature heart disease and stroke can be prevented by implementing healthy lifestyle habits, including a diet based on minimally processed foods, the Heart & Stroke Foundation says.

A healthy lifestyle includes a diet that is high in fruit and vegetables. The foundation recommends half of every meal be made up of veggies and fruit, as they contain antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and are also high in fibre.

The other half of your plate should be divided equally between whole grain foods and healthy proteins, the foundation says. Whole grain bread and crackers, brown or wild rice, quinoa, and oatmeal are examples of whole grain foods while eggs, poultry, lean red meats, fish, legumes, nuts, seeds, and low-fat dairy are recommended sources of protein.

Healthy fats are also key, the Heart & Stroke Foundation says, such as olive oil, avocados, flaxseed, and nuts.

Other tips include avoiding sugary drinks, meal planning, and cooking more at home.