A new meta-analysis from the University of Washington suggests that no amount of processed food is safe to consume.
Researchers analyzed 77 different studies to gauge the link between certain amounts of these foods and common chronic diseases.
"Habitual consumption of even small amounts of processed meat, sugary drinks and trans fatty acids is linked to increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, ischemic heart disease and colorectal cancer," lead study author Demewoz Haile, a research scientist at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington, told Fox News Digital.
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"There is no safe level of habitual consumption of these food groups, so they should not be included in our daily diet," he stated.
For processed meats in particular, the researchers concluded that eating as little as 0.6 to 57 grams per day was linked to an 11% greater likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes.
Consuming between 0.78 and 55 grams per day was associated with a 7% increase in colorectal cancer risk, the study found.
(One hot dog, which is made up of almost entirely processed meat, is approximately 50 grams.)
The researchers also analyzed the impact of sugar-sweetened beverages, finding that drinking between 1.5 and 390 grams per day could raise type 2 diabetes risk by 8%.
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Consuming between 0 and 365 grams of the beverages could increase the risk of ischemic heart disease — the most common type of heart disease and a leading cause of death — by 2%, the study found.
Trans fatty acids were also analyzed in the study. When the unsaturated fats made up anywhere from 0.25% to 2.56% of daily energy intake, they were linked to a 3% greater risk of ischemic heart disease.
(Some examples of trans fats include crackers, cookies, baked goods, frozen pizza, coffee creamer, refrigerated dough products, and vegetable shortenings and some stick margarines, according to WebMD. Some fast foods also contain it.)
The findings were published in the journal Nature Medicine on June 30.
Previous studies have established the link between processed foods and chronic disease, Haile acknowledged.
"However, our study evaluated the shape of the relationship with the most recent studies, using a more advanced analytical method, and objectively assessed the strength of the evidence," he noted.
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"Our analysis showed that the strongest association is observed at lower exposure levels equivalent to a serving or less, which implies that consuming these food items on a regular basis at any amount increases the risk of adverse health outcomes."
While the researchers recognized that diet is a "personal choice" and that some may be limited in food choices, they recommend limiting or eliminating consumption of processed foods.
"Our findings support what is widely recommended, including by the WHO and CDC: Avoid or reduce to the minimum possible level the consumption of processed meats, sugary drinks and artificial trans fats," Haile told Fox News Digital.
"Individuals who regularly consume these foods, even in small amounts, should be aware of the increased risk of chronic diseases."
The major limitations of this study are associated with dietary intake assessment, Haile acknowledged.
"Almost all of the included studies used food frequency questionnaires to assess intake, which can introduce measurement errors, primarily due to difficulties experienced by respondents in recalling long-term intake," he told Fox News Digital.
Several studies included in the analysis only looked at consumption at the start of the study, Haile noted — "which might not accurately reflect the future dietary habits of the study participants."
Also, the study only looked at a limited set of health outcomes for each dietary risk factor.
"Consequently, our study may underestimate the total health loss associated with these foods," Haile said.
"We also observed substantial variation across existing literature, which implies that high-quality research is still needed to strengthen the evidence and reduce uncertainty."
Dr. Nick Norwitz, M.D., PhD, a Harvard-educated clinical researcher and metabolic health educator, acknowledged that the study shows a "relatively consistent association" between higher processed meat intake and worse health outcomes, but pointed out some caveats.
"These are associations — not necessarily causal relationships," Norwitz, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.
Additionally, as the researchers themselves acknowledged, the quality of the evidence was graded as "weak," Norwitz pointed out.
"While these large studies have certain strengths, one key weakness is that they lump together many different foods within a single category," the researcher went on. "There are various ways to process meats, and not all will have the same biological consequences."
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While it’s "certainly feasible" that processed meat can contribute to poor health outcomes, Norwitz said that more research is needed to confirm the meta-analysis’ claims.
"At the end of the day, the office donut or bottle of soda is almost certainly doing more metabolic damage than a slice of deli turkey," he added.
A spokesperson from the American Association of Meat Processors (AAMP) sent the below statement to Fox News Digital regarding the study.
"We have not read the [full] report, but the abstract in the paper itself states that the assertions reflect ‘weak relationships or inconsistent input evidence’ and that more research is necessary. We would like to know how the paper defined ‘processed meat,’ or if the researchers weighed any supposed risks against the proven benefits of nutrients and protein found in meat."
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In the study, the researchers defined processed meat as "any meat preserved by smoking, curing, salting or the addition of chemical preservatives."
Fox News Digital also reached out to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for comment.
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