Scientific evidence into the health effects of ultra-processed dairy products, such as cheese slices and flavored yogurts, remains limited, according to large-scale research published in medical journal The Lancet.
Across three Lancet Series review papers, academics spotlight the health risks of ultra-processed foods (so-called UPFs), summarize global regulatory approaches and new policy strategies, and analyze the role of corporations and lobby groups in promoting the category’s image.
Sugary drinks and processed meats dominate discussions on health risks across the three works, but dairy is linked to more moderate concerns. These are largely to do with flavored products’ links to additives and sweeteners, plus marketing restrictions when it comes to some products marketed to children as well as specialized nutrition products like infant formula.
In the report that focuses on UPFs’ health impacts (Ultra-processed foods and human health: see ‘sources’ below), dairy is mentioned among the 10 major UPF categories, but the authors admit that when it comes to the category’s health impact, there is an evidence gap.
For example, prior research has found that certain fortified yogurts have health benefits (such as lowering the risk of diabetes) while other categories such as desserts are linked to higher mortality. As for products for children or infants, such as toddler milks and infant formulas, these are mostly discussed in light of marketing policies and regulations rather than health outcomes.
Overall, it’s hard for academics to tell if dairy UPFs are bad for health or not because of this mixed evidence – but expanding on current knowledge would be tricky.
“Future studies should directly compare UPFs to their minimally processed or processed counterparts, such as flavoured versus plain yoghurts or extruded versus wholegrain cereals, to better isolate the effects of ultra-processing itself,” the authors note.
“However, analyses of the health effects of individual UPF subgroups, rather than the overall ultraprocessed dietary pattern, face methodological challenges.”
What are the methodological challenges?
There are several limitations that makes it difficult for academics to assess the health impact of UPF dairy or compare processed dairy to non- or minimally-processed products.
Product composition – what each product is made of – is a key one: comparing flavored and plain yogurt to study the effects of processing would be difficult because of the two products’ different sugar content, additives, or fortification properties.
Secondly, some processed dairy products are better for physical health than others – think fortified yogurt versus an indulgent dairy-based dessert – meaning that comparing such categories head-to-head would be statistically complicated.
Consumer diets may also hinder how academia studies the impact of UPF dairy during trials – since dietary surveys often lack detailed ingredient-level data, leading to misclassification. What types of foods UPFs replace in someone’s diet also matter: a fortified snacking pot of yogurt eaten instead of a candy bar is better than a dairy ice cream replacing a portion of fruit.
Study design limitations also exist: most current evidence comes from observational studies, The Lancet report notes, rather than randomized trials.
Source:
Ultra-processed foods and human health: the main thesis and the evidence
Monteiro, Carlos A et al.
The Lancet, Volume 0, Issue 0
www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(25)01565-X/abstract
