According to the World Health Organization (WHO), fast food is often high in calories, saturated fat, refined sugar and salt, but lacking in essential nutrients. A study published in The Lancet (2019) showed that a diet high in processed foods increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and obesity - factors that directly reduce life expectancy.
Experts have shown that people who consume fast food more than 4 times a week have a 62% higher risk of early death than people with a healthy diet. The high salt and trans fat content in fast food also increases blood pressure and bad cholesterol, leading to serious cardiovascular diseases.
Consuming ultra-processed foods impairs metabolic function. A study in the journal Cell Metabolism (2021) found that a diet rich in processed foods can disrupt the gut microbiome, causing chronic inflammation - one of the main causes of premature cell aging, shortening lifespan.
In addition, consumption of foods containing acrylamide and nitrosamine (substances found in fried and processed foods) is associated with a sudden increase in cancer cells, accelerating cell degeneration, and increasing the risk of death.
A large-scale study by Sorbonne University (France) on 44,000 people showed that for every 10% increase in processed foods in the diet, the risk of early death increased by 14%.
Countries with high rates of fast food consumption such as the US, UK, and Australia also have much higher rates of obesity, cardiovascular disease, and premature death than countries that maintain traditional diets such as Japan or the Mediterranean.
Fast food not only affects weight but also negatively impacts overall health, reducing human life expectancy.
