The researchers found that for every 1% increase in the amount of ultra-processed foods, there was a little more than a 1% increase in the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Ready meals and sugary drinks are examples of ultra-processed foods, but Professor Jean-Philippe Drouin-Chartier and his colleagues have found that the risk of type 2 diabetes is higher with certain foods than others.

“We remain exposed to a food environment where these products are very present,” commented Professor Drouin-Chartier, who belongs to the Faculty of Pharmacy, the NUTRISS Center and the Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods at the University of Laval.

“But if you look at Canada’s Food Guide recommendations, […] We almost only see minimally processed or minimally processed foods. According to our data, any food we eat that is less processed is healthier. »

Quebec researchers analyzed data from three major American polls involving nearly 200,000 people. The participants answered questionnaires about their diet every 2 to 4 years for 30 years.

The researchers then divided the foods eaten into four categories based on their degree of processing, ranging from minimal or unprocessed to ultra-processed.

They also combined data from the three American surveys with data from four European studies that examined the same question. The analyzes they performed on this cohort of more than 415,500 participants led to similar conclusions.

The sample size and the strength of the observed relationship between the two variables suggest a causal relationship, Professor Drouin-Chartier pointed out in a press release.

“We’re getting a verdict of high quality evidence,” he said in an interview. This suggests that it is very unlikely that future studies on the same topic will contradict our findings. »

The risk of people in the top quintile of use is 56% higher than that of people in the bottom quintile, the study said. The average consumption of ultra-processed foods in the top quintile was more than 10 servings per day.

Pushing the analyzes a little further, the researchers found that certain ultra-processed foods appeared to contribute more to the increased risk of diabetes: White bread, sauces, spreads and condiments, sugary drinks, “diet” drinks, cold cuts and cold cuts and ready meals are thus considered singled out.

Ultra-processed foods are industrial formulations made mostly or entirely with substances extracted from food. These formulations are often chemically modified and contain additives to enhance flavor or extend shelf life.

In Canada and the United States, ultra-processed foods are estimated to account for approximately one-third of the weight of food consumed daily by the population.

‘The level of food processing is another dimension of healthy eating,’ said Professor Drouin-Chartier. This is a topic that is increasingly being studied for its impact on health, but also to characterize the nutritional environment in which we live. This leads to further arguments for promoting public action to improve people’s nutrition. »

The results of this study will be published by the medical journal diabetes treatment.