Running from 2009, the French team worked with more than 44,000 people, and looked at how much of each diet were made up of ‘ultra-processed’ foods made in factories with industrial ingredients and additives, such as dried ready meals, cakes and biscuits.
Over seven years of follow-up, there were 619 deaths, of which 219 were from cancer and 34 from cardiovascular disease.
The research, published in Jama Internal Medicine, found that deaths were more likely even when taking into account the greater likelihood of deprivation, smoking, obesity and lower educational background.
‘Ultra-processed’ foods tend to be high in sugar, salt and saturated fats, and according to the Guardian, more than half of an average UK diet contains ‘ultra-processed’ food.