Ultra-Processed Foods and Cardiovascular Risk—The New AHA Position

Ultra-processed foods (UPFs ) account for a significant portion of energy intake in Western countries—in the United States, an estimated more than half. Given this ubiquity and a growing number of observational studies linking high UPF consumption to cardiometabolic diseases, the American Heart Association (AHA) issued its first comprehensive statement on the matter in 2025 in the form of a Science Advisory. The tone is noteworthy: The AHA carefully evaluates the evidence, warns against overinterpretation, and deliberately refrains from making blanket recommendations. For cardiologists and primary care physicians, it is worthwhile to understand this nuanced stance—precisely because the issue is often sensationalized in public discourse.