Ultraprocessed Foods (UPF)
Ultraprocessed foods (UPFs) are defined by the NOVA classification system (developed at the University of São Paulo) as NOVA Class 4 — industrial formulations made mostly from substances extracted from foods or synthesised in laboratories, containing little or no whole food, with added flavours, colours, emulsifiers, sweeteners, and other additives.
Examples
Soft drinks, packaged snacks, reconstituted meat products (nuggets, hot dogs), instant noodles, breakfast cereals, flavoured yogurts, most fast food, packaged bread with many additives, energy bars.
NOVA Classification
| Class | Description | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Unprocessed/minimally processed | Fresh vegetables, meat, eggs, milk |
| 2 | Processed culinary ingredients | Oils, butter, salt, sugar |
| 3 | Processed foods | Canned fish, cheese, ham |
| 4 | Ultraprocessed | Soft drinks, packaged snacks, ready meals |
Health Evidence
In Tessier et al. (2025), comparing highest vs. lowest quintile of UPF consumption (as % of daily energy intake) over 30 years:
- Overall healthy aging: OR 0.68 — a 32% reduction in odds
- Intact cognitive function: significantly lower odds
- Intact physical function: significantly lower odds
- Intact mental health: significantly lower odds
- Free of chronic diseases: significantly lower odds
- Surviving to age 70: significantly lower odds
This is the clearest and most consistent adverse signal in the entire study — UPF harm is present across every single domain of healthy-aging.
Why UPFs Are Harmful
UPFs are typically:
- High in trans fats, sodium, added sugars (all independently harmful per Tessier 2025)
- Low in fibre, micronutrients, phytochemicals
- Engineered for overconsumption (hyper-palatability)
- Associated with disrupted gut-microbiome diversity (via lack of fibre and presence of emulsifiers)
Practical Threshold
There is no established “safe” UPF level. Reducing UPF as a share of total caloric intake is a practical target — the quintile-based analysis suggests a dose-response relationship.