A daily increase of just 3½ ounces of ultra-processed food was associated with a higher risk of chronic disease in a sweeping analysis of nearly 8.8 million adults. The findings focus attention on an amount equal to 100 grams, which can accumulate through routine snacks, sugary drinks and convenience foods.

The study was published Sept. 22 in the journal Family Medicine and Community Health. It examined adults who participated in studies across the Americas, Europe, Asia and Oceania, with follow up periods ranging from two to 32 years.

For every additional 100 grams of ultra-processed foods consumed each day, researchers found an association with a 14% higher risk of cardiovascular events. The same increase was associated with a 4% higher risk of cancer and a 3% higher risk of death from any cause.

Researchers also linked each additional 100 gram daily serving to a 2% higher risk of metabolic syndrome or diabetes. The analysis identified associations rather than proving that the foods directly caused any of the reported health outcomes.

Ultra-processed foods are generally packaged for convenience and produced through extensive industrial processing, often with additives. The category can include sugary drinks, processed meats, packaged snacks and candy.

These foods can add up across the day rather than appearing in one large meal, according to the researchers. Snacks, sugary beverages and other convenience foods may all contribute to a person’s total intake.

People with the highest consumption of ultra-processed foods had greater risks of digestive diseases, depression or anxiety, obesity, cancer and cardiovascular events than those with the lowest consumption. The comparisons added to concerns about diets dominated by heavily processed choices.

“Given that UPF-related chronic diseases often cluster as multimorbidity, reducing consumption of UPFs and replacing them with minimally processed alternatives may be relevant for chronic disease prevention and primary care management,” the researchers wrote.

The research team was led by Xiao Liu, a cardiologist at Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital in China and a research fellow at Duke-NUS Medical School in Singapore. Fox News Digital reached out to the researchers for comment.

Kelly Springer, a registered dietitian based in New York and founder of Kelly’s Choice, said these foods tend to crowd out healthier, nutrient rich options. Springer was not involved in the research.

“It’s not that you can never eat them again,” Springer told Fox News Digital. “It’s the fact that we are not getting real foods — real foods like fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, whole grains.”

Springer emphasized building meals around fruits, vegetables, whole grains and other foods that undergo minimal processing. “A diet built around whole, minimally processed foods is one of the best investments we can make in our long-term health,” she said.

At the same time, Springer noted that the observational nature of the study prevents researchers from establishing that ultra-processed foods directly caused the poor health outcomes. The findings show relationships between consumption and risk, but they do not establish direct causation.

The analysis also depended on diets reported by participants, creating another limitation. Researchers may not have been able to account for other lifestyle factors that could have influenced the health outcomes documented during the follow up periods.

Despite those limitations, Springer said the study can help teach people about the connection between ultra-processed foods and chronic disease. Its scale, spanning nearly 8.8 million adults and multiple regions, provided a broad examination of consumption patterns and health risks.

The findings place particular focus on small daily additions that may seem insignificant in isolation. Replacing ultra-processed products with minimally processed alternatives could be relevant to chronic disease prevention and primary care management, according to the researchers.

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