French research involved more than 44,000 people over a period of seven years

Eating a lot of heavily processed foods is linked to a risk of earlier death, according to a study.

A team in France worked with more than 44,000 people in a study running from 2009 called NutriNet-Santé. They looked at how much of their diet – and calories – was made up of “ultra-processed” foods – those made in factories with industrial ingredients and additives, such as dried ready meals, cakes and biscuits.