The health effects of ultra-processed food - Statistics & Facts

Ultra-processed foods are ubiquitous in the United States, accounting for around 70 percent of the U.S. food supply and 60 percent of adult diets. However, the impact of ultra-processed foods on human health is a relatively new topic and much has yet to be discovered about which specific foods are harmful, to what degree they are harmful, or even why they are so harmful. Many people in the United States still do not even understand what ultra-processed foods are, with a survey from 2024 finding only 32 percent of adults were familiar with the term.
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Published by Jennifer Mendoza, Dec 17, 2025

Key insights

  • Share of U.S. adults who believed healthy eating patterns/habits were important to live a long and healthy life
  • 68%
  • Share of U.S. adults who believed ultra-processed foods were bad for them
  • 57%
  • Share of vegans/vegetarians whose eating habits are motivated by eating fewer processed foods
  • **%

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Current statistics on this topic

State of Health

Leading reasons U.S. adults chose ultra-processed foods in 2023

Food & Nutrition

Per capita consumption of food products in the United States 2024, by product type

State of Health

Number of deaths worldwide from select risk factors in 2021

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