Mar 11, 2026 04:53 PM
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1119620
INTRO: From flavored yogurts to frozen pizzas, breakfast cereals and instant oats, ultra-processed foods are convenient, often cheaper items designed for a quick bite. In recent years, excess consumption of these foods has also been linked to health risks such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some types of cancer.
According to a new study from Tulane University, eating more ultra-processed foods may also be bad for your bones. The study, published in The British Journal of Nutrition, found that those who ate more ultra-processed foods (UPFs) had lower bone mineral density and a higher risk of hip fractures.
People consumed, on average, about 8 servings of ultra-processed foods per day, according to the study, which involved more than 160,000 participants from the UK Biobank database. For every 3.7 extra servings eaten per day, the risk of hip fracture increased by 10.5%. While servings differ among food types, that amounts to a frozen dinner entree, a cookie and a soda.
“Our study cohort was followed for over 12 years, and we found that high intakes of ultra-processed foods were linked to a reduction in bone mineral density at several sites including key areas of the upper femur and the lumbar spine region,” said co-corresponding author Lu Qi, HCA Regents Distinguished Chair and professor at the Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine at Tulane University. “While recent studies have shown that ultra-processed food consumption can affect bone health, this is the first time this relationship has been examined directly in humans.”
Ultra-processed foods are industrially manufactured products made with high amounts of salt, sweeteners and unhealthy fats. They tend to be energy dense and contain little to no whole foods, which are foods free from additives that remain close to their original state... (MORE - details, no ads)
INTRO: From flavored yogurts to frozen pizzas, breakfast cereals and instant oats, ultra-processed foods are convenient, often cheaper items designed for a quick bite. In recent years, excess consumption of these foods has also been linked to health risks such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some types of cancer.
According to a new study from Tulane University, eating more ultra-processed foods may also be bad for your bones. The study, published in The British Journal of Nutrition, found that those who ate more ultra-processed foods (UPFs) had lower bone mineral density and a higher risk of hip fractures.
People consumed, on average, about 8 servings of ultra-processed foods per day, according to the study, which involved more than 160,000 participants from the UK Biobank database. For every 3.7 extra servings eaten per day, the risk of hip fracture increased by 10.5%. While servings differ among food types, that amounts to a frozen dinner entree, a cookie and a soda.
“Our study cohort was followed for over 12 years, and we found that high intakes of ultra-processed foods were linked to a reduction in bone mineral density at several sites including key areas of the upper femur and the lumbar spine region,” said co-corresponding author Lu Qi, HCA Regents Distinguished Chair and professor at the Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine at Tulane University. “While recent studies have shown that ultra-processed food consumption can affect bone health, this is the first time this relationship has been examined directly in humans.”
Ultra-processed foods are industrially manufactured products made with high amounts of salt, sweeteners and unhealthy fats. They tend to be energy dense and contain little to no whole foods, which are foods free from additives that remain close to their original state... (MORE - details, no ads)