It’s the food, baby.
While shopping the perimeter of the grocery store is an age-old tip to stock up on good-for-you foods, reaching for chips, cookies and soda can be the ultimate comfort habit.
But these and other junk food staples could be messing with women’s chances of trying to have a baby, according to new research from McMaster University.
Countless studies have documented the downsides of ultra-processed foods (UPFs), including but not limited to increased risk of heart attack and stroke, cancer, metabolic syndrome, obesity, dementia and even premature death.
UPFs have also previously been linked to negative effects on men’s fertility, and now another study has noted the effects these supermarket staples have on women’s ability to get pregnant.
Published in Nutrition and Health, the findings show that women who consume lower amounts of ultra-processed foods have higher odds of conceiving.
Analyzing data from over 2,500 women who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), researchers found clear differences in the eating patterns of women who struggled to conceive after a year of trying and those who didn’t.
The women who reported infertility had daily diets that contained about 31% UPFs and a lower intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and healthy fats.
Even on a larger scale, higher ultra-processed food intake was linked to around 60% lower odds of fertility.
The study, a first-of-its-kind look at the link between ultra-processed foods and infertility in women, suggests that what women of reproductive age eat and how much its been processed plays a much bigger role in their health beyond weight and calories.
“Ultra-processed foods often carry chemicals like phthalates, BPA and acrylamides, which can leach from packaging or even from the plastic machinery used during processing,” study co-author Angelina Baric said in a press release. “These compounds are known to disrupt hormones, and that may be part of why we’re seeing a link.”
These highly processed foods — which include packaged goods, drinks, cereals and ready-to-eat products — are also typically high in sugar, saturated fat and salt and devoid of vitamins and fiber.
While the study doesn’t prove UPFs directly cause infertility, the results are still influential given how common these foods are.
The survey data was pulled from combined interviews, 24-hour dietary recalls and laboratory tests to capture detailed information on diet, demographics, health status and biomarkers. Health factors, such as age, weight and lifestyle, were also taken into account.
Although the effects of chemicals from UPFs on reproductive health is still being studied, Baric added that it’s still possible for women looking to conceive to improve their chances through their food choices.
“It’s not about perfection — it’s about noticing how food is processed, choosing more foods in their natural states and picking ingredients you recognize,” she said. “Even that simple shift can lower exposure to things we still don’t fully understand.”
However, the unknown effects of UPFs on women’s fertility specifically are cause for concern.
“If [ultra-processed foods are] also affecting hormone pathways, that’s a much bigger issue — and it’s something people aren’t as aware of,” senior author Anthea Christoforou said in a press release.
