How dangerous is ultra-processed food really?

Several media outlets are today reporting on a new, large "umbrella study" of new meta-analyses on the health effects of ultra-processed food. The study reports frightening negative effects in several areas, and therefore warns against ultra-processed food. But is this really true, and what does this study actually tell us?

Ultra-processed food is the new hype in the eternal debate about diet. While professionals and scientists are often sceptical about using this term in such a context, food influencers and the media benefit from simple terms that can create fear and sell simple solutions.

Store Norske Leksikon describes ultra-processed food (UPF) as follows:

Ultra-processed food is a term used to describe food where the raw materials used as ingredients have been significantly altered, usually by industrial processing. A characteristic of ultra-…