Leading European heart specialists are calling for patients with cardiovascular conditions to be explicitly advised to prioritise home cooking and significantly reduce their consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs). In a new consensus statement, the experts recommend that patients adopt healthier eating habits, including eating more slowly and avoiding late-night meals.
The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) clinical consensus statement highlights that UPFs have become a significant public health concern, linking them to an increased risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and high blood pressure. Studies cited in the statement show that UPF consumption is associated with increased cardiovascular risk, often independent of overall diet quality.
The authors acknowledge that UPFs are largely unrecognised in current dietary advice given in heart clinics. They note that current dietary counselling tends to overlook the potential adverse impact of UPFs, leaving patients without comprehensive nutritional guidance. The statement advises cardiologists to encourage patients to cook at home more frequently, eat slower, and avoid late eating.
Professor Luigina Guasti from the University of Insubria in Italy, a lead author, said: “UPFs, made from industrial ingredients and additives, have largely replaced traditional diets. Research suggests these foods are linked to several risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure, and to the risk of developing and dying from heart disease.”
Tracy Parker, senior dietician at the British Heart Foundation, commented: “This consensus statement reinforces the substantial body of evidence that shows diets high in ultra processed foods are associated with an increased risk of heart and circulatory diseases. To reduce this risk, we need to support people to cut down on UPFs as part of improving overall diet quality.”
